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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
In 2022 with funding from 
Princeton Theological Seminary Library 


https://archive.org/details/ourchurchofficia0Oknub 





HENRY MELCHIOR MUHLENBERG 


Patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America 


OUR CHURCH 


An Official Study Book 


The first of a series of ‘“Key Books” to the Origin, 
Principles and Activities of the Church, pre- 
pared under the general editorship of the 
Rev. F. H.*Knubel, D.D., LL.D., 
and the Rev. M. G. G. 

Scherer, D.D. 





THE UNITED LUTHERAN PUBLICATION HOUSE 
PHILADELPHIA, PA. 


CopyricHT, 1924; By 
THE BOARD OF PUBLICATION OF 
THE Unitep LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA 


MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 


PREFACE 


This is one of a series of study books intended 
primarily for use in The United Lutheran Church 
in America. The preparation of the series was 
undertaken by the Conference of Secretaries of the 
several boards of the Church in conjunction with 
the Board of Publication. 

The title which has been chosen for the series is, 
The Key Books. The Key is an instrument which 
affords entrance. The purpose of these books is 
to open to those who will use them the way to an 
intelligent appreciation of their Church and its 
work. 

The three keys upon the cover of the books rep- 
resent the three great departments of the Church’s 
activity ; namely, missionary, educational and merci- 
ful. The scarlet thread that binds them together 
suggests the central fact of the Gospel, the atone- 
ment by the blood of Christ, which furnishes the 
motive of all that the Church does and makes it and 
its work acceptable to God. 

At the request of the Conference of Secretaries 
and the Board of Publication the task of editing the 
nooks has been accepted by Drs. F. H. Knubel and 
M. G. G. Scherer. 

The authorship of the several chapters of this 
volume is indicated as follows: Chapter I, by Dr. 
Jacob A. Clutz; II, by Dr. H. E. Jacobs; III, by Dr. 
A. G. Voigt; IV, by Dr. F. H. Knubel; V, by Dr. 
M. G. G. Scherer; VI, by Dr. George Drach; VII, 

5 


6 PREFACE 


by Dr. Paul W. Koller. The several boards and 
committees of the Church contributed material for 
Chapter VI. 

This book is introductory to those which are to 
follow, and is sent forth with the prayer of all con- 
cerned in its production, that it may be blessed of 
God as a means of stimulating our people to further 
study of the Church’s life and activity and to fuller 
consecration of themselves and of their means to 
the service of Christ. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER I 


Abe ee LATION (EOP) s sists sie oath wieletehainibisip vig t's is'dlan’e'n bie 8 8 46 4 lei 44 
CHAPTER IV 

POWELL bile MIPSANIZOG VE OL. TUS) WOTKS oils rab ceed fn cases Sele es 59 
CHAPTER V 

De Mae OPP RGMIVY OLE a eidc bcos elo sep stain se Oo wate aidel dia styvare of crais «5 wetesere 73 


IER SEG VOL OLS PTODG A105 Gales waa ate ible erals’c telela's seve sinareraals 88 


CHAPTER VII 
Peter POM PTRE IGTUICIONUCY 15. a0) 0'a\e) «oa a, 4,0 o niale, « a'piuimpaievelala tin ¢ 142 
EMA Oar ee. tae Cee « Av lalel p aeiealy aula tetiaas ys 161 


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CHAPTER I 
How Ir Came To Br 


In order to understand the nature and work of 
the United Lutheran Church, we must know some- 
thing of its historical background. This chapter is 
intended to give this in brief outline. 

It is not known just when the first Lutherans came 
to America, but it must have been quite early in the 
permanent settlement of the country. The Hudson 
River was discovered and explored in 1619. A very 
few years later settlements were established and 
maintained on Manhattan Island and near the site 
of the present city of Albany by the Dutch West 
India Company of Amsterdam, Holland. As there 
was at that time a considerable number of Lutherans 
in Holland, especially in Amsterdam, it is probable 
that there were some of them in these first colonies. 
The first mention of them is made by a Jesuit priest 
in 1643. 

In 1644, Peter Stuyvesant was appointed gover- 
nor of New Amsterdam, as the settlement on Man- 
hattan Island was then called. He remained in 
office until 1664, when the colony passed to the con- 
trol of the British. It was during his governorship 
that the Lutherans came into some prominence 
through their persistent efforts to secure permis- 
sion to organize a congregation and have a pastor 
of their own faith. Stuyvesant as persistently re- 
fused to grant this permission. He would have no 
other form of worship than that of the Reformed 

9 


10 OUR CHURCH 


Church, which was the established church of Hol- 
land. In 1657, a Lutheran minister was sent to New 
Amsterdam by the Lutheran Consistory in Holland. 
Stuyvesant ordered him to return to Holland by 
the same vessel on which he had come. Because of 
serious illness he was unable to do this, and his 
return was delayed for about two years. But mean- 
while he was forbidden to hold any services or to 
exercise any pastoral functions. 

The change of masters from the Dutch to the 
English in 1664 brought freedom of worship to all. 
In 1669, another Lutheran pastor came from Hol- 
land, but he proved a great disappointment and was 
soon obliged to leave. Others followed, however; 
among them faithful and devoted men, and from 
this time on the Lutheran Church was pretty well 
established in New York city, which was the name 
given to the settlement by the British. 

Another important early Lutheran settlement in 
this country was that established by the Swedes on 
the Delaware River near the sites of the present 
cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington. This move- 
ment began in 1637. For a number of years this 
colony flourished by reason of frequent accessions 
from the homeland. They also had a succession of 
able and faithful pastors who came from Sweden. 
But finally, owing to disturbed conditions in En- 
rope, the difficulties of communication and some dif- 
ferences with the church authorities in Sweden on 
points of administration, immigration ceased and 
the supply of ministers was cut off. The people 
became discouraged and turned to the ministers of 
other churches for pastoral services. Thus they 
were gradually alienated from the Lutheran faith, 


HOW IT CAME TO BE 1] 


and finally the congregations and the church prop- 
erties passed to the control of the Episcopal Church. 
Two of the old church buildings are still standing, 
Holy Trinity in Wilmington, dedicated in 1699, and 
Gloria Dei in Philadelphia, dedicated in 1700. 
About a century after the coming of the Swedes 
to the banks of the Delaware, another Lutheran 
settlement was effected by the Salzburgers in 
Georgia, on the Savannah river. This movement 
began in 1734, as the result of bitter persecutions 
in the Duchy of Salzburg, from which they came. 
The Catholic archbishop of this province in Austria 
had determined to crush out Protestantism among 
his subjects. When oppression and cruelty failed 
to accomplish his purpose he issued an edict Octo- 
ber 31, 1731, ordering all Lutherans to leave the 
province. Many were settled in Germany, espe- 
cially in Lithuania. Others found their way to Eng- 
land and a number of these were there assisted to 
embark for America to join the colony being estab- 
lished by General Oglethorpe. They had been ac- 
companied from Rotterdam by two consecrated 
Lutheran pastors, John Martin Bolzius and Israel 
Christian Gronau, who served them faithfully for 
many years in their new home in Georgia. The 
descendants of these pious people are still found 
in many of our Lutheran churches in the South. 
Various other Lutheran colonies were founded in 
the South about the same time that the Salzburgers 
came, some of them earlier, some a little later. One 
important group came from Wuertemburg, Ger- 
many, about the middle of the eighteenth century, 
landing at Charleston. These settled in Charleston, 
and in Orangeburg and Lexington counties, South 


12 OUR CHURCH 


Carolina. Another group migrated from Pennsyl- 
vania about 1755 and settled, some of them in the 
Valley of Virginia and others in North Carolina. 
The Lutheran churches in the South are made up 
largely of the descendants of these two groups. 
But the most important contribution to early Lu- 
theranism in America came from the German immi- 
eration of the first half of the eighteenth century, 
because it was the largest, the most permanent and 
became the most influential. Some Germans had 
come to the new world before this, but they were 
comparatively few in numbers and too widely scat- 
tered to make much impression. But about the be- 
ginning of the eighteenth century many influences 
combined to start a great wave of German immigra- 
tion to America. It is estimated that in 1709 as 
many as 20,000 Palatinates alone reached England 
on their way to America. As the result of this 
immigration Lutheran churches were organized in 
German Valley, N. J., in 1707; at various points 
along the Hudson in 1708-10; in Schoharie in 1712, 
and later at Rhinebeck, Kingston, Palatine Bridge, 
Cobleskill, ete., all in the state of New York. In most 
of these places there are still flourishing churches. 
In 1712 the current of German Lutheran immi- 
eration turned towards Pennsylvania. Even before 
this, possibly as early as 1700, a congregation had 
been organized at ‘‘Falkner’s Swamp,’’ or ‘‘New 
Hanover,’’ in Montgomery County. A Lutheran 
church stood there in 1704. In 1723, a company of 
German Lutherans, who had been robbed of their 
lands by fraud in New York, moved south from 
Schoharie through the wilderness and finally settled 
near where the city of Reading now stands. By the 


HOW IT CAME TO BE 13 


middle of the eighteenth century it is estimated that 
the German population of Pennsylvania had reached 
from 90,000 to 100,000, at least two-thirds of whom 
were Lutherans. 

It is impossible within the brief limits allowed to 
this chapter to give a list of the congregations that 
were organized during this period or of the pastors 
who served them. The churches, though numerous, 
were widely scattered and had but little intercourse 
with each other. There were not enough pastors to 
give them efficient service, and some of these proved 
unworthy. It is not strange that under these cir- 
cumstances the Church of Luther began to languish 
and was threatened with extinction. 

But a better day was at hand for the Lutheran 
Church in America. It dawned with the coming of 
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg in 1742, in response to 
the many appeals for help which had been sent to 
the fatherland. He was still comparatively a young 
man, having been born September 6, 1711. He had 
been highly educated, chiefly in the university of 
Goettingen. He had taught for a year in the Orphan 
House at Halle, and was in complete sympathy with 
the Hallean pietism. He had offered himself to go 
as a missionary to India, but pending his appoint- 
ment had taken a pastorate in Germany. While on 
a visit to Dr. G. A. Francke, at Halle, in September, 
1741, Dr. Francke, who had been deeply moved by 
the appeals from America, asked him whether he 
would be willing to go to that needy field. He at 
once assented, ‘‘if such were God’s will.’? He im- 
mediately set about making preparations for the 
new work and set sail from London, June 13, 1742. 
After a long and tedious voyage he landed in 


14 OUR CHURCH 


Charleston, September 23. From there he made a 
short visit to the Salzburgers on the Savannah river, 
and then proceeded on his way to Philadelphia, 
which was his appointed destination. He finally 
reached that city November 25. 


It would be too long a story, however interesting, 
to follow Muhlenberg through his varied and often 
trying and discouraging experiences, or to give an 
account of his herculean labors and tireless efforts 
to infuse new life and hope into the scattered and 
often distracted and demoralized Lutheran congre- 
gations in Pennsylvania; New York, Maryland and 
elsewhere throughout the new world. Suffice it to 
say that a new era began with his arrival, and from 
that time on steady progress was made, even though 
it was still sometimes slow. Because of his abun- 
dant labors and his great success in organizing and 
building up the Church at that critical time he came 
to be known, and is still generally spoken of, as ‘‘the 
Patriarch of the American Lutheran Church.’’ 

Other helpers followed Muhlenberg, some of them 
ordained pastors, and some of them catechists and 
school teachers who were ordained later in this 
country. Most of these were sent by the regularly 
constituted church authorities in Germany. But 
some came without such authority and without 
proper certification. Hence the need of some better 
form of organization began to be felt in order to 
guard the congregations against unworthy minis- 
ters, to provide them with worthy ones and to se- 
cure better co-operation in the common tasks which 
were facing the growing Church. The first success- 
ful step in this direction was taken in connection 
with the dedication of the new St. Michael’s church 








DELEGATES ASSEMBLED 


For Organization of the United Lutheran Church 
in America 


BoLIOWY Ul 
yoIny uvLeYyINT] poJUG, oy} FO uoIQVZIUBSIQ oY} pouURTg WIV A, 


GaLLININOD SNVSIT GNV SAV FAHY, 





HOW IT CAME TO BE 15 


in Philadelphia. One of the catechists who had re- 
cently come from Germany was to be ordained at 
the same time. This double service was made the 
occasion for bringing together six Lutheran pastors 
and twenty-four laymen in conference. This con- 
ference was held on the Monday following the dedi- 
cation and ordination. This date, August 15, 1748, 
is regarded as the birthday of the Ministerium of 
Pennsylvania, though this name and a formal writ- 
ten constitution were not adopted until some years 
later. Because it was the first synod organized in 
America it is still generally spoken of as the 
‘‘Mother Synod.’’ At the time of Muhlenberg’s 
death, in 1787, it had grown to a membership of 
about forty pastors. 


The organization of other synods followed in due 
time, as the number of churches and pastors in- 
creased and the need for mutual conference and 
co-operation came to be felt more and more. Among 
the earlier ones were the New York Ministerium, 
organized in 1786; the North Carolina Synod in 
1803; the Joint Synod of Ohio in 1818; the Synod 
of Maryland and Virginia in 1820; the Tennessee 
Synod in the same year. 


As the number of synods thus increased, and the 
territory covered by them extended farther and 
farther, the wiser and more forward-looking men 
among the leaders of the Church began to realize 
the need of some relation between the synods that 
would serve to bind them into a closer unity and to 
bring about greater co-operation. This led to the 
organization in 1820 of the General Synod of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States. 


16 OUR CHURCH 


Though the desirability of such a general organiza- 
tion had been suggested at an earlier day, the first 
formal steps towards actually effecting it were taken 
at a meeting of the Pennsylvania Ministerium in 
Harrisburg, Pa., in 1818. A resolution was adopted 
recognizing the desirability of ‘‘a closer connection 
with each other of the different Kvangelical Lu- 
theran synods in the United States,’’ and also 
authorizing the officers of the Ministerium to corre- 
spond with the other synods on the subject. This 
action was no doubt stimulated by the more pro- 
nounced Lutheran consciousness that had been 
awakened by the celebration in 1817 of the three 
hundredth anniversary of the Reformation. 

As the result of the movement thus initiated a 
conference was called to meet in Hagerstown, Md., 
October 22, 1820, to consider the matter further. 
At this conference there were present eleven clerical 
and four lay delegates, representing the Ministerium 
of Pennsylvania, the Ministerium of New York, the. 
Synod of North Carolina and the Synod of Maryland 
and Virginia. The synod last named had just been 
organized October 11 preceding. <A constitution 
was agreed on to be submitted to the synods inter- 
ested, with the understanding that if it should be 
approved by at least three of the four synods rep- 
resented in the conference, another meeting to com- 
plete the organization should be called at Frederick, 
Md., the next year. This condition having been met, 
a second meeting was held in Frederick, October 
21-23, 1821, and thus the first general body of 
Lutherans in America was launched. 

The importance of this movement and its far- 
reaching and beneficent influence on the history and 


HOW IT CAME TO BE 17 


development of the Lutheran Church in America 
are universally recognized. In 1800, there were but 
70 Lutheran ministers and about 35,000 Lutheran 
communicants in the entire country. In 1820, when 
the General Synod was organized, the number had 
not greatly increased. But a period of steady and 
substantial growth followed. As the Church in- 
creased in numbers and extended more and more 
widely, additional synods were organized, and most 
of them united with the General Synod. The Hart- 
wick Synod joined in 1831; the South Carolina 
Synod in 1835; the New York Ministerium in 1837; 
the Hast Ohio Synod in 1842; the Synod of East 
Pennsylvania and the Alleghany Synod also in 1842; 
the Miami Synod in 1845; the Illinois Synod and 
the Wittenberg Synod in 1848; the Olive Branch 
Synod in 1850; the Texas Synod and the Synod of 
Northern Illinois in 1853; the Synod of Central 
Pennsylvania in 1855; the Pittsburgh Synod, the 
Synod of Northern Indiana, the Synod of Southern 
Illinois and the Synod of Iowa in 1857; the Melanch- 
thon Synod in 1859. 

Some of these synods were small, and a number 
of them were organized out of older synods. Hence 
their joining the General Synod did not add greatly 
at the time to the number of either its ministers or 
its communicant membership. Still there was rapid 
growth both by natural increase from within and 
also by the steady immigration coming from Lu- 
theran lands, so that by 1860, the period to which 
we have now come in our story, the General Synod 
had within its fold more than two-thirds of all the 
Lutheran ministers and communicants in the coun- 
try, and up to this time it had represented the only 


18 OUR CHURCH 


attempt at a general and inclusive organization of 
the Lutheran Church in America. 

But just when the future of Lutheran unity 
seemed brightest, and the promise greatest, there 
came a period of disintegration marked by two 
serious disruptions from the General Synod, and 
the organization of two other, and in some senses 
rival, general bodies. The first of these breaks was 
caused by the Civil War of 1861-1865. 'This led to 
the withdrawal of the southern synods and the or- 
ganization in 1863, at Concord, N. C., of a General 
Synod in the South. The second break came in 1866, 
when the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, the Minis- 
terium of New York, the English District Synod of 
Ohio, the Synod of Illinois, the Minnesota Synod, 
the Texas Synod and a large majority of the Pitts- 
burgh Synod also withdrew from the General Synod 
and subsequently joined in the organization of the 
General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church 
in North America. 

These two defections seriously reduced the 
strength of the General Synod, and for a time filled 
the hearts of some of its leaders with dismay. But 
it gradually recovered and attained a stronger and 
more effective organization than ever. It grew in 
numbers also, and at the time of the Merger in 1918 
it had again attained a strength of 24 district 
synods, with 1452 ministers, 1846 congregations and 
a confirmed membership of 370,316. It was also 
conducting successful foreign missions in India and 
in Africa and had begun work in South America. 

The General Council was organized at F't. Wayne, 
Ind., November 20, 1867. A preliminary conference 
had been held in Reading, Pa., December 12-14, 


HOW IT CAME TO BE 19 


1866, in response to a call issued by the Ministerium 
of Pennsylvania. At this meeting all the synods 
which had just withdrawn from the General Synod 
were represented. There were also representatives 
from the Joint Synod of Ohio, the German lowa 
Synod, the Wisconsin Synod, the Michigan Synod 
and the Missouri Synod. A statement of ‘‘Prin- 
ciples of Faith and Church Polity,’’ which had been 
prepared by Dr. C. P. Krauth, was presented at 
this conference and was unanimously approved as 
a basis for the proposed new general body. All the 
synods which had been represented at the Reading 
conference in 1866 were again represented at the 
organization meeting at Ft. Wayne in 1867, except 
the Missouri Synod, but only those which had come 
out of the General Synod fully and permanently 
identified themselves with the General Council. 
The General Council began its life with a very 
substantial number of synods, pastors and congre- 
gations, and it had a steady growth in Pennsylvania, 
New York and Canada and in the western and 
northwestern states. At the time of the organiza- 
tion of the United Lutheran Church in 1918 it em- 
braced the following synods, the Ministerium of 
Pennsylvania, the Ministerium of New York, the 
Pittsburgh Synod (General Council), the Texas 
Synod organized in 1851, the District Synod of Ohio 
organized in 1857, the Synod of Canada organized 
in 1861, the Synod of the Northwest organized in 
1891, the Manitoba Synod organized in 1897, the 
Chicago Synod organized in 1896, the Pacific Synod 
organized in 1901, the New York and New England 
Synod organized in 1902, the Synod of Nova Scotia 
organized in 1903 and the Synod of Central Canada 


90 OUR CHURCH 


organized in 1908. These thirteen synods reported 
at the time of the Merger 1074 ministers, 1406 con- 
gregations and 345,179 confirmed members. The 
Augustana Synod, which was organized in 1860 and 
which had participated in the organization of the 
General Council in 1867, withdrew from that body 
just before the Merger. It had had a phenomenal 
growth and had become one of the strongest synods 
in the body. According to the Lutheran Church 
Year Book it reported in 1918, 740 ministers, 1251 
congregations and 193,545 confirmed members. 

At the time of the Merger the General Council 
had a strong mission at Rajahmundry, in India, and 
was co-operating with the United Synod in the South 
in its mission work in Japan. The Augustana 
Synod, besides helping in the support of the regular 
foreign mission work of the General Council as a 
part of that body, had been for some years conduct- 
ing a mission of its own in China. Though it did 
not join in the organization of the United Lutheran 
Church in 1918, it has continued to co-operate in 
the support of the missions in India. 

The United Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church in the South was organized under that name 
June 23, 1886, by the six synods which had been 
connected with the former General Synod in the 
South and the Tennessee Synod and the Holston 
Synod. Neither of the two latter synods had ever 
before been connected with any general body. Lu- 
therans have never been as numerous in the South 
as in the North and West, largely due to the fact 
that since colonial times there has been very little 
immigration into that section. Nevertheless, the 
United Synod was a well organized and aggressive 


HOW IT CAME TO BE yA 


body and had made substantial progress. At the 
time of the Merger it had eight synods connected 
with it: North Carolina, Tennessee, South Caro- 
lina, Virginia, Southwestern Virginia, Georgia, 
Holston and Mississippi. All these synods were 
organized before 1861. In the Lutheran Church 
Year Book for 1919 they are credited with a total 
of 262 ministers, 494 congregations and 55,473 con- 
firmed members. Like the General Synod and the 
General Council, the United Synod was deeply in- 
terested in foreign missions. For some years they 
co-operated with the General Synod in the work at 
Guntur, India. Later they had opened a very 
promising mission of their own in Japan. 

The three general bodies whose history has just 
been briefly sketched, the General Synod, the Gen- 
eral Council and the United Synod in the South, are 
the bodies which joined in the organization of The 
United Lutheran Church in America in 1918. This 
has been very generally spoken of as the Merger. 
For a number of years previous to this there had 
been a gradual rapprochement of the three bodies, 
both along confessional lines and in practical work. 
For a period of at least thirty-five years there had 
also been in progress various co-operative move- 
ments and activities, which had brought together 
for consultation, and in rather close and intimate 
personal contact, many of the recognized leaders 
in the three bodies as members of joint committees. 
Notable among these were the preparation of a 
common Order of Worship for the use of HEnglish- 
speaking congregations, a common translation of 
Luther’s Smaller Catechism, the publishing of a 
common book of Ministerial Acts, and later still, 


22 OUR CHURCH 


just before the Merger, the preparation of a new 
Service and Hymn Book for all three bodies. There 
were also numerous other points of contact m com- 
_ mittee meetings and conferences on practical work 
and in various agencies, such as the Luther League, 
the Woman’s Missionary Society, the Lutheran 
Brotherhood, Lutheran Diets, Social Unions, con- 
ventions of Lutheran educators, Lutheran editors, 
Lutheran students, ministerial associations, etc. 


All these influences had tended to bring about, 
not only mutual acquaintance between both the 
ministers and the most active lay workers in the 
three bodies, but also mutual understanding and 
mutual confidence and good will. In many cases 
the acquaintances thus formed had ripened into 
warm personal friendships. Hence, when the move- 
ment for the actual merging of the three bodies into 
a new organization was started it became largely 
only a question of ways and means. The minds and 
hearts of many of the ministers and people had 
already been prepared for the step. 


While there had been more or less discussion 
before of the desirability and the feasibility of such 
a merger, the real inspiration and the occasion for 
definite action came together in connection with the 
celebration in 1917 of the four hundredth anniver- 
sary of the Reformation. A joint committee of 
representative ministers and laymen had been ap- 
pointed to arrange an adequate program for this 
great event. At a meeting of this joint committee 
in Philadelphia, April 18, 1917, the laymen of the 
committee presented a proposition to form an or- 
ganic union. After due consideration the proposi- 


HOW IT CAME TO BE 23 


tion was agreed to and the movement was launched 
then and there. A general plan for merging was 
drawn up. Arrangements were made for the ap- 
pointment of a joint committee to frame a consti- 
tution for the proposed new body. The constitution 
thus prepared and the general plan of merging were 
submitted to the three general bodies at their next 
regular meetings. 

The General Synod met in Chicago June 20, the 
General Council in Philadelphia October 24 and the 
United Synod in Salisbury, N. C., November 6, all 
in 1917. All three bodies acted favorably on the 
general plan for union. They also approved the 
constitution prepared and referred it to their con- 
stituent synods. Every one of these also took 
favorable action. Meanwhile a Joint Committee on 
Ways and Means had been appointed to arrange 
the details for the consummation of the Merger. 
So well and so carefully did this committee do its 
work, that when the time for organization came 
there was little to be done except to approve its 
recommendations. The merger meeting was held in 
New York city, November 14-18, 1918. Each of the 
general bodies had held preliminary meetings sepa- 
rately to wind up their business and to take such 
final action as seemed necessary before entering 
into the new organization. The first joint meeting 
of the three bodies was held in Holy Trinity Church 
on the afternoon of November 14, at which a tem- 
porary organization was effected. In the evening 
the Holy Communion was celebrated in the same 
church. The next day permanent officers were 
elected, and all the necessary steps followed to com- 
plete the organization of The United Lutheran 


24 OUR CHURCH 


Church in America and make plans for the carrying 
on of its great work. 

Since the merging of the three former general 
bodies in the United Lutheran Church a number of 
the district synods whose territory overlapped 
more or less, or whose union promised economy of 
labor and cost as well as greater efficiency, have also 
merged. Other similar mergers are still under con- 
sideration. The following are the ones that have 
been consummated at the time of the writing of this 
chapter. In each case the new organization has 
claimed and been granted the privilege of using the 
date of the oldest synod entering the merger. 

1. November 18, 1919, the two Pittsburgh synods, 
which had existed side by side since the division in 
1866, reunited under the old name which both had 
retained. 

2. June 10, 1920, the Northern Illinois Synod, 
the Central Illinois Synod and the Southern Illinois 
Synod, together with a part of the Chicago Synod, 
merged under the name of the Illinois Synod. 

3. On the same date, the Northern Indiana Synod 
and another part of the Chicago Synod merged 
under the name of the Michigan Synod. 

4. June 24, 1920, the Olive Branch Synod and 
still another part of the Chicago Synod merged - 
under the name of the Indiana Synod. 

o. November 3, 1920, the East Ohio Synod, the 
Miami Synod, the Wittenberg Synod and the Dis- 
trict Synod of Ohio merged under the name of the 
Synod of Ohio. 

6. March 2, 1921, the Synod of North Carolina 
and the Tennessee Synod merged under the name 


HOW IT CAME TO BE 25 


of the United Evangelical Lutheran Synod of North 
Carolina. 


7. March 17, 1922, the Synod of Virginia, the 
Synod of Southwestern Virginia and the Holston 
Synod merged under the name of the United 
Lutheran Synod of Virginia. 

8. September 5, 1923, the Synod of Central 
Pennsylvania and the Susquehanna Synod merged 
under the name of the Susquehanna Synod of Cen- 


tral Pennsylvania of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church. 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND DISCUSSION 


What is the general purpose of this chapter? 
What is the first knowledge we have of Lutherans in America? 
What difficulties faced the early Lutherans in New York? 

4. What was the history of the Swedish Lutheran settlement 
on the Delaware? 

5. What early Lutheran settlements in the South? 

6. When did the German Lutheran immigration begin, and where 
were churches established? 

7. When and where did the first German Lutherans settle in 
Pennsylvania? 

8. When did Muhlenberg come to America, and why? 

9. What was the nature of his work, and what is he frequently 
called? 

10. What were some of the first synods organized, and when? 

11. When and why was the first general body organized? 

12. What facts in the history of the General Synod are given? 

13. What of the organization and work of the General Council? 

14. When was the United Synod in the South organized, and what 
of its development? 

15. What movements and influences prepared the way for the 
merging of these three general bodies into one? 

16. What were some of the steps in effecting the merger? 

17. When and where was the United Lutheran Church organized? 

18. What merging of district synods has taken place since then? 


ed se 


CHAPTER It 


How Ir Govrrns ItTseur 


1. The true Church and its Power. There are 
two conceptions of church power that must be accu- 
rately distinguished. The distinction depends upon 
two different conceptions of the Church itself. The 
Protestant Reformation starts its treatment of the 
Church with the definition that, in the true and only 
Scriptural sense, the Church is the congregation of 
true believers scattered throughout the world. 
(Augsburg Confession, Article VII; Apology of the 
Augsburg Confession, pages 162-3.) It is with 
reference to the Church in this strict sense that 
Article III, Section 1, of our constitution says that 
‘fall power in the Church belongs primarily and 
exclusively to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,’’ 
and ‘‘this power is not delegated to any man or 
body of men.’’ Yet power ‘‘has been committed’’ 
to the Church by Christ ‘‘for the furtherance of the 
Gospel.’’? (Constitution, Article III, Section 2.) It 
is a power of ministry. 

All power given Christ in heaven and on earth 
(Matthew 28:18), He assured His disciples in His 
farewell discourse, would be exercised by Him 
through their ministry unto the end of the world, 
since until then He would continue to be ever with 
them. They were not to represent Him as though 
in His absence, but simply to be the instrumentalities 
through which, although invisible, He was to speak 

26 


HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF Poe | 


and work. When a minister preaches the Gospel, 
it is Christ who speaks through that minister. 
When he administers baptism or the Holy Supper, 
it is Christ who baptizes and who gives the elements 
with the promise attached to them. ‘‘This power,”’ 
says Article III, Section 1, referring to the power 
belonging to Christ as the Head of the Church, ‘‘is 
not delegated to any man or body of men.’’ Neither 
is the power or work of ministry delegated by Christ 
directly ‘‘to any man or body of men.’’ No priestly 
order intervenes between the Christ and man, nor 
is there any church organization whose resolutions 
and decrees give any authority to a religious dec- 
laration which does not exist previously. The 
organization depends for its authority solely upon 
the Word of God, and not the Word of God upon 
the organization. It is the Word that makes the 
Church, not the Church that makes the Word. ‘‘The 
Church therefore has no power to bind the con- 
science except as she teaches what her Lord teaches, 
and faithfully commands what He has charged her 
to command.’’ (Article III, Section 2.) The office 
of the Church is only to transmit the power of the 
risen, ascended and ever-present Christ. 

‘The power of the Church,’’ says the Augsburg 
Confession (Article XXVIII), ‘‘is exercised only by 
teaching or preaching the Gospel and administering 
the sacraments. For thereby are granted not bodily 
but eternal things, as eternal righteousness, the 
Holy Ghost and eternal life. These things cannot 
come but by the ministry of the Word and sacra- 
ments, as Paul says (Romans 1:16, ‘The Gospel is 
the power of God unto salvation to everyone that 
believeth’).’? ‘‘The power of the Church has its 


28 OUR CHURCH 


own commission to teach the Gospel and administer 
the sacraments. Let it not break into the office of 
another.’’ Thus the offices of the Church and of 
the State, of church membership and of Christian 
citizenship are to be carefully separated. Luther’s 
words concerning resorting to force in order to 
restrain errorists are often quoted: ‘‘I will teach, 
I will preach, I will write; but the sword I will not 
draw against them. For if the Word of God which 
created the heavens and the earth do not move them, 
there is nothing in the universe that can do more.’’ 
The influence of the Church is in the proportion 
that it is recognized as the embodiment of moral 
force. Men are brought together and successfully 
co-operate only by the conviction of a common duty 
and the fervor of a common love. The office of the 
Church, then, is not to legislate, but to declare ‘‘all 
the counsel of God,’’ and thus transmit the truth 
revealed in both Law and Gospel. 

The Church can neither abridge nor extend the 
terms of its commission; it can neither add nor sub- 
tract, nor modify aught, for it is God’s Word, and 
not man’s, which it must utter. The form, indeed, 
will necessarily change with the ever-changing con- 
ditions of human experience, but through them all 
the very same unchangeable Word exercises from 
generation to generation its efficiency. 

In its confessions at certain critical periods in its 
history, when the teaching of God’s Word had been 
called into question, the Church has declared in the 
language of the time and place its understanding 
of this Word as derived from the faithful study of 
the Holy Scriptures. The confessions are not in- 
tended to supplement the Word of Scripture, but 


HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF 29 


simply to give testimony. They are not codes of 
laws, but confessions of the fath of the behever. 
They are not exhaustive summaries of fundamental 
truths, but answers drawn from Holy Scripture to 
questions arising at particular times. 

2. The externally orgamzed Churches. But, as 
indicated above, there is another conception of the 
Church, which regards it as an external organiza- 
tion of professed followers of Christ. While in its 
essence the Church is one, 1. e., there is but one 
Church; according to this second conception, there 
are many churches or associations of Christian peo- 
ple. In them, so far as they have the right to the 
name, we find the real Church localized and rendered 
in a sense visible. The visible assembly of pro- 
fessing Christians is needed for the administration 
of Word and sacrament. Nor only this: for the 
community of those who have communion with 
Christ expresses itself in the formation of a society 
or societies as the inevitable result of such inner 
union. In Christianity, isolated individualism exists 
only as something abnormal. Two requisites of a 
Christian are set forth in Romans 10:9-10 upon 
the same authority; namely, ‘‘to believe with the 
heart, and to confess with the mouth.’’ While the 
former determines life-communion with the Church 
as an organism, the latter creates and perpetuates 
the visible society in which Christ is confessed at 
all times and in all places. 

But no society can exist with a common under- 
standing among its members as to the time, place, 
purpose and order of its meetings, as well as of 
plans of work, without resulting in some form of 
organization, with fixed rules for its government. 


30 OUR CHURCH 


For such organization of church bodies, Holy 
Scripture neither prescribes any fixed form nor de- 
termines any invariable precedents, except that of 
_ the existence of the pastoral office. Beyond this, 
the forms recorded in the New Testament are the 
outgrowth of circumstances as they arose. Here, 
then, is a sphere within which the Church has much 
liberty. The Christian conscience is not to be 
burdened, as though anything God has not enjoined 
be deemed necessary to salvation, or that merit can 
be acquired by its observance. (See Augsburg Con- 
fession, Articles XV and XXVIII.) The need of 
specific rules for church government, and the need 
of orders of worship and liturgical formulas, arise 
from the principle of Christian expediency, accord- 
ing to which, as one of our confessions declares, 
‘‘the Chureh of God of every place and time has 
according to its circumstances the right to diminish 
or to increase them, provided this be done without 
thoughtlessness and offense to others, as at any time 
may be regarded most profitable for the edification 
of the Church. How even to the weak in faith we 
can give way with a good conscience in such external 
adiaphora, Paul teaches in Romans 14, and approves 
by his own example Acts 16:3 and 21: 23; I Corin- 
thians 9:19.’’ (Formula of Concord, 645.) 

This does not mean that the organization of the - 
Church when once decided upon is a matter of unim- 
portance, and that what is urged purely on the 
eround of Christian expediency is to be disregarded. 
The Christian here, as in the sphere of the civil gov- 
ernment, ‘‘subjects himself to every ordinance of 
man for the Lord’s sake.’’ Christian churches have 
the power, as the Augsburg Confession, Article 


HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF ah 


XXVIII, declares, ‘‘to make ordinances that things 
be done orderly in the Church,’’ and that ‘‘the 
churches should keep such ordinances for the sake 
of charity and tranquility’’; for where one, upon 
the basis of Christian liberty, insists upon his own 
preferences and is unwilling to yield to the general 
opinions of his brethren in regard to what Scripture 
has left free, the entire order of the Church is 
thrown into confusion, and the harmonious co-opera- 
tion of all its parts is threatened, if not at once 
destroyed. 

3. The requisites of a Church. The authority 
of the Chuch is not dependent, then, upon its nu- 
merical strength or its immediate historical ante- 
cedents, but solely upon the presence of Christ; and 
He is present even though there be but two or three 
who gather together in His name (Matthew 18: 20). 
The two requisites of a Church are, therefore, first, 
and principally, ‘‘the name of Christ,’’ i. e., the 
proclamation of the revelation of God in Christ, as 
taught in the Gospel; and secondly, at least ‘‘two or 
three who confess that name and are assembled in 
that name.’’ 

Nor is Matthew 18:20 intended to limit the 
Church to a small circle. It means that wherever 
the name of Christ is believed and confessed, even 
though there be no more than two or three Chris- 
tians, there is the Church. The name ‘‘Church,”’’ 
therefore, is just as appropriate to groups of con- 
eregations that can come together, either en masse 
or representatively in Christ’s name, as to two or 
three individuals who informally assemble. So the 
circles may expand within a nation, and from nation 
to nation, until the ends of the earth be reached; 


39 OUR CHURCH 


and wherever the pure preaching of the Gospel and 
the Scriptural administration of the Sacraments are 
found, there is the Church. No other external char- 
acteristic, however excellent in its own place, when 
the pure Gospel is preached, can be accepted as in 
itself a mark of the Church; for when urged as such 
‘at is no longer a question concerning adiaphora, 
but concerning the truth of the Gospel.’’ (Formula 
of Concord, 524.) Such, e. g., if considered alone, 
would be the ‘‘historic episcopate,’’ which, while 
recognized as a valid form of church administra- 
tion, characterizes also communions which not only 
fail in teaching the pure Gospel, but as in the case 
of Rome, repudiate and anathematize some of its 
saving doctrines. 

4. Constitutions and Charters. A formal con- 
stitution is not an indispensable condition for the 
existence of a congregation or synod. The congre- 
gation may first be formed, and then a constitution 
framed or adopted. The Constitution, however, 
when adopted becomes a solemn covenant. 

Furthermore, the congregation may seek for legal 
recognition where property is to be held and church 
funds collected and administered in a regular busi- 
ness way. Under such conditions a congregation, 
a synod, a church board or a general body petitions 
for and receives a charter. In this way, besides - 
being a society of Christian people, it becomes a 
corporation with the obligation of conducting its 
business like that of any other corporation under 
the laws of the state. It should always be remem- 
bered, then, that the legal status of the corporation 
is determined by the civil law, and not by ecclesias- 
tical regulations. 


HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF 33 


When, in the exercise of their Christian liberty, 
Christian people assume the obligations of member- 
ship in church organizations, these obligations re- 
main binding upon them as long as they continue 
in connection with such organizations. Church 
membership is like the marriage covenant; this 
brings responsibilities with its privileges, which the 
previously free husband or wife cannot disregard 
or neglect at pleasure. The inherent freedom of a 
Christian prior to his assuming the obligations of 
Church membership cannot be validly urged as 
justifying the disregard by him of any rules of the 
organization so long as he enjoys the privileges to 
which membership entitles him. This applies to 
groups as well as to individuals. 

5. Character of Constitutions. Congregations, 
synods and general bodies are, therefore, far more 
than mere advisory associations. The efficiency of 
each of these bodies depends upon the degree that 
every member can be relied upon to discharge his 
own specific duty. (See I Corinthians 12.) 

Care must always be taken in church regulations 
to avoid binding the consciences of the people with 
a multiplicity of requirements, instead of relying 
upon their intelligent Christian zeal to discover the 
channels through which they can accomplish most. 
Constitutions should, therefore, be brief and simple 
and confined to the determination of principles, 
leaving to the by-laws the determination of details. 
Where the concerted action of a large number is to 
be taken, the planning and administration of details 
have necessarily to be entrusted to a small circle 
(Romans 12: 4-8), where more can be accomplished 
by private conferences than by public discussions. 


34 OUR CHURCH 


As organization requires adjustment to varying 
circumstances, not only is unity of life and faith 
consistent with a great diversity of forms, but di- 
versity of methods is also necessary in order that 
the same end may be reached under varying condi- 
tions. The plasticity of Lutheranism with respect 
to forms and methods is one of its strong features. 
(Compare Augsburg Confession, Article VII; also 
Apology of Augsburg Confession, 169): ‘‘Just as 
dissimilar spaces of day and night do not injure the 
unity of the Church, so we believe that the true 
unity of the Church is not injured by dissimilar rites 
instituted by men.’’ 

In the administration of the civil laws in the 
United States there are some that are of a universal 
application. Such are those of the federal govern- 
ment. Others pertain only to the states considered 
individually and are administered accordingly by 
state officials. Still other laws, while in force 
throughout particular states in their entirety, are 
administered separately in each county, city and 
township by the special officials of each. This in- 
volves neither confusion nor conflict. Properly 
guarded, completeness of organization involving a 
variety of functions is a very sure guarantee of 
true freedom. The simplest government on earth 
is an absolute despotism, in which legislative, ju- — 
dicial and executive functions are united in a single 
monarch with unlimited power. This exists where 
the people have not been trained to citizenship and 
are nothing but abject subjects. But, on the other 
hand, the most complicated government is a federal 
republic. A constitutional democracy aims at en- 
listing the intelligent sympathy and co-operation 


HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF 35 


of the greatest number in a fixed order, assigning 
each his own place, the chief magistrate being the 
real representative and executive of all the people, 
with even his authority limited to an order constitu- 
tionally prescribed. The various distributions of 
functions, and of lower and higher courts, were sanc- 
tioned even in the Old Testament, as may be read 
in Exodus 18: 21, 22. 

The ideal of a true democracy has never ed 
fully realized in secular government, because it is 
only Christianity which gives the true conception 
of what the people are and the nature of their 
mutual obligations. (I Peter 2:9,10.) Nor can this 
ideal be fully realized even in the church in this life, 
since as long as they live here, even the regenerate 
are imperfectly renewed, so that individualism and 
selfishness mar the best of undertakings. 

6. Our Constitution emphasizes individual Chris- 
tians. So far as to the general principles. Now, 
as to their application in the Constitution of The 
United Lutheran Church in America. The pre- 
amble announces the fundamental fact that the or- 
ganization is radically one of individual Christians, 
who have entered into a certain relation with one 
another as ‘‘members of Evangelical Lutheran 
churches associated in Evangelical Lutheran 
synods.’’ It is similar to the preamble of the Con- 
stitution of the United States, which begins ‘‘ We, 
the people of the United States.’’ In this respect, 
it is more explicit than the constitutions of the gen- 
eral bodies which were merged into the United Lu- 
theran Church, one of which announced the union 
as a union of congregations, and another professed 
to be a union of synods. Here there is no change 


36 OUR CHURCH 


of doctrine, but the emphasis is thrown upon the 
people as the ultimate constituents of the congrega- 
tions and the synods. Thus the individual is 
brought into closer contact with the highest organi- 
zation for which the constitution provides. As 
every citizen of each state is likewise a citizen of 
the United States, and every citizen of the United 
States is likewise a citizen of one of its many states, 
responsible for certain duties to his state and sub- 
ject to the constitution and laws of that state, and 
responsible in respect to other clearly defined duties 
to the constitution and laws of the United States, 
so membership in a congregation and synod of the 
United Lutheran Church in America involves dis- 
tinct duties to congregation, synod and general 
body. The individual is thus to a greater or less 
degree brought into immediate touch with all the 
agencies and activities of the United Lutheran 
Church. When there is a convention, the delegates 
assembled represent not only the synods which have 
elected them, but all the people within those synods 
belonging to the congregations as an organic part 
of the whole general body. Hence, they vote not 
by delegations, but as representatives of the entire 
Church, without regard to the particular synod or 
congregation whence each delegate comes. All are 
members one with another. 

Connection with regularly organized congrega- 
tions and synods is presupposed. Congregations 
are said (Article VII, Section 3) to be ‘‘the primary 
bodies through which the power committed by Christ 
to the Church is normally exercised.’’ The spiritual 
life of each Christian begins in a Christian congre- 
gation through the administration within such con- 


HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF ST 


gregation of the Means of Grace. The congregations 
are the nurseries within which believers are born 
and reared. They are power-houses to transmit to 
each country’s farthest limits the power of the 
Gospel. | 

A synod is simply an expansion of the congrega- 
tional idea; it is an association or a congregation 
of congregations, so that whatever authority per- 
tains to a congregation in a narrower, pertains to 
the synod in a wider, sense. The right which a con- 
eregation has to call and set apart a pastor entitles 
the synod certainly in an equal degree to provide 
officers in the same way for the synod’s administra- 
tion of the Means of Grace (Article III, Section 5). 

7. Our Constitution emphasizes Synods. Funda- 
mental as the congregation is to church activity, 
the congregation is too intensely localized to enter 
independently to any great degree into the exten- 
sive and expansive work of the Church. As the full 
intent of its Lord’s commission is realized (Matthew 
28:19, 20), the experience of the Apostolic Church 
is repeated, and ever widening circles of service 
are formed. (Acts 1:8.) Congregations can no 
more exist for a long time in absolute isolation than 
can individual believers. The impulse which brings 
people together into Christian congregations brings 
these congregations together into common organi- 
zations. 

The synodical organization, as it is known in the 
Lutheran Church in America, is not a plant which 
has been transferred bodily from the Evangelical 
Lutheran Churches in Europe, since they were almost 
entirely state churches. But it is a gradual growth, 
in a free state, by the application to our Lutheran 


38 OUR CHURCH 


people of the democratical principles that underlie 
our civil government, and the development of that 
civil government, according to state or national 
lines. While the Lutheran conception of Church 
organization contains elements bearing a resem- 
blance to congregationalism, it cannot be properly 
classed as such, because of the emphasis which Lu- 
theranism lays upon the church as properly the 
communion of saints and the congregation as simply 
the church localized. 

The United Lutheran Church lays great stress 
upon the value of the synodical organization and 
administration, and most carefully guards against 
any interference with it. The general body is too 
large and unwieldy to undertake the details of ad- 
ministration of all the congregations and all the 
synods which it comprises. Besides this, it cannot 
be expected to have sufficient regard to varying cir- 
cumstances, the knowledge of which is often neces- 
sary for an equitable decision. For the prompt and 
judicious disposal of cases, reliance must be placed 
upon the sanctified judgment of those living in rela- 
tively close proximity to the matters to be judged. 
The strength of the general body is in a great meas- 
ure limited to the determination and maintenance 
of general principles; it loses its authority by un- 
dertaking habitually to apply them directly to 
specific cases. There would be ceaseless occasions 
for conflict where a member of any synod would 
have the liberty to bring before the general body 
charges against members of other synods. Hence, 
the wise provisions of Article III, Section 7: ‘‘In 
the formation and administration of the general 
body, the synods may know and deal with each other 


HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF 39 


only as synods. In all cases the official record is to 
be accepted as evidence of the doctrinal position of 
each synod; and the principles for which alone the 
other synods are responsible by connection with it.’’ 
Article VIII, Section 4, ‘‘ Hach synod retains every 
power, right and jurisdiction in its own internal 
affairs not expressly delegated to the United Lu- 
theran Church in America.’’ Section 6: ‘‘The 
synods alone have the power of discipline.’’ 

8. The Activity of the United Lutheran Church. 
The conventions of the United Lutheran Church are 
occupied chiefly with (1) the determination and 
statement of the principles of doctrine and practice 
involved in questions on which it is called to act. 
The authority of these statements rests entirely upon 
their harmony with God’s Word. (2) The con- 
sideration of reports of the work done for it 
through its boards and committees during the bi- 
ennium that has preceded, and the election of mem- 
bers to boards and the adoption of plans and appor- 
tionment for the biennium to come. (3) The hearing 
of appeals and adjustment of difficulties that may 
have arisen. 

The life and activity of the United Lutheran 
Church is continuous. It exists not only for the few 
days every two years during which the conventions 
are in session. Conventions adjourn, but the life 
and activity of the United Lutheran Church have 
no intermission. 

The boards are the instrumentalities through 
which its business is conducted in the interim, each 
board having its own special department of work. 
The more complete organization of the general work 
of the Church as divided among these boards has 


AO OUR CHURCH 


probably been the most influential factor that has 
contributed to the development of general organiza- 
tion of the Church among us. For many years, the 
general benevolent work of the Church, which had 
been begun and was carried on with much feeble- 
ness, was only indirectly under the control of the 
general church body or its synods. Foreign mis- 
sions, home missions, church extension, education, 
publication, were prosecuted largely, and some of 
them entirely, by voluntary church societies which 
had indeed a formal approval, but notwithstanding 
this, only a very small support, of the synods. Col- 
lections were taken by the most interested pastors 
in response to appeals; secretaries and superin- 
tendents solicited funds from those from whom a 
sufficiently large response could be hoped for; spe- 
cial anniversary exercises were held during the 
session of many of the synods for the purpose of 
maintaining a stimulating interest. But the results 
were far from encouraging. The adoption of appor- 
tionment schemes in some of the synods, especially 
for home missions, suggested a way to meet the 
emergency. But even then it was an arduous task 
to persuade the congregations to meet anything like 
the full amount of what was asked. But the work 
steadily gained headway, as interest in the causes 
was increased and the need of an assured, fixed and 
regular income was appreciated. To meet the neces- 
sities also of the expanding work that required 
response to these efforts a more thorough organiza- 
tion of the synods, as well as of all its agencies, 
resulted. 

The boards of the United Lutheran Church are 
of two classes, the departmental boards, which have 


HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF 41 


just been considered, and the two regulative boards, 
which remain yet to be noticed. The Executive 
Board is charged particularly with the work of co- 
ordinating the several departmental boards, since 
a conflict may readily occur at any time between any 
of these boards or between any of them and any 
of the synods, especially as to particular times and 
methods for the collection of funds, or other matters 
pertaining to appropriations. Besides this, the 
prompt execution of the resolutions passed at con- 
ventions of the United Lutheran Church can be 
ereatly aided by the activity of this board in gain- 
ing information as to what is being accomplished 
and in urging the prompt response to the appor- 
tionments which have been made. The Executive 
Board is also charged with the prompt carrying out 
of any details of administration for which the 
United Lutheran Church at its convention has not 
made a specific provision. In this respect it dis- 
charges a duty which heretofore had been the 
prerogative of the officers of the general body. 

- The Commission of Adjudication is the organ 
provided for initiating procedure with respect to 
‘fall disputed points of doctrine and practice.”’ 
(Article XII, Section 1.) Before interpreting ques- 
tions ‘‘of law, right or principle’’ that are ‘‘within 
the jurisdiction of the United Lutheran Church in 
America’’ (Article VIII, Section 3) and the decision 
of ‘‘binding character of any action on grounds of 
doctrine or conscience’’ (Article VIII, Section 5), 
such questions come regularly before the Commis- 
sion: (1) ‘‘On appeal of a synod (Article VIII, 
Section 3; Article XII, Section 1); (2) ‘‘By resolu- 
tion of a convention of the general body’’ (Article 


42 OUR CHURCH 


XII, Section 1). Appeals from individual members 
of congregations or individual members of synods 
cannot be entertained. 


The Commission of Adjudication is never a final 
court of appeal. The decisions are always subject 
to review and reversal by a convention of the United 
Lutheran Church. But if no such appeal be made 
from a decision of the Commission of Adjudication, 
the decision of the Commission does not require 
the vote of the general body to give it validity. 


Nor is it intended that the synods should after- 
wards deliberate and act separately upon these or 
any other questions decided by the general body; 
for nothing would ever be settled if there were as 
many separate tribunals for its decision as there 
are synods. In our own federal and state govern- 
ments, ‘‘government of the people, by the people’’ 
does not mean that every citizen has a direct voice 
and vote in the judicial decision of every case 
brought before the courts for trial. The same is 
true in regard to church matters. The rights of all 
are guaranteed by a wise distribution of functions 
which the Commission of Adjudication is charged 
with preserving unimpaired. 


QUESTIONS { 


1. Explain briefly Article III, Section 1, of the Constitution. 

2. In what sense are ministers representatives of Christ? 

3. When do church organizations fulfill, and when do they exceed 
their authority? 

4. The true use of church Confessions? 

5. Principle to be observed in formulation of church regulations? 

6. Two requisites for a church body? 

7. The relative plaee of the chureh universal and of its con- 
gregations? | 





HOW IT GOVERNS ITSELF 43 


8. What is the only mark of the ehurch? Objeetion to the 
historie episcopate as a mark? 

9. The gradual growth of church constitutions. 

10. Additional obligations assumed when a church becomes a 
legal corporation? 

11. Are church organizations purely advisory associations? 

12. The effect of completeness of organization upon freedom in 
church and state. 

13. Explain the opening words of the Preamble of the Con- 
stitution. 

14. In what sense are congregations called by Section 3 “Primary 
bodies?” 

15. What is a synod? 

16. What are conferences? 

17. What limitations does the Constitution place upon the powers 
of the general body? 

18. Relation of the general conventions of the United Lutheran 
Church to its life and activity. 

19. What two classes of boards are there, and what are their 
specific functions? 

20. Why is there need of an Executive Board, and of a Com- 
mission of Adjudication? 

21. Where does the final authority in all disputed cases rest? 


CHAPTER III 


Wuat It Sranps For 


The United Lutheran Church stands for the 
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It cannot do this 
without standing for the truth about Jesus in the 
form of doctrine. But in the practical fulfillment of 
its mission it must have consideration for existing 
conditions and relations. That is to say, it must be 
governed by policies consistent with its doctrines. 
This chapter will discuss the doctrine and the poli- 
cies of the United Lutheran Church. 

The United Lutheran Church has in its Constitu- 
tion bound itself to a certain form of doctrine. Why 
has it done this? There is now much outcry against 
creeds; that is, definite and binding statements of 
doctrine. It is assumed that religious opinions must 
change with times and circumstances. But the 
United Lutheran Church does not believe that true 
religion is a matter of changeable human opinions. 
It holds that God has made known the truth by 
which men shall live and be saved in this life and 


that to come. He has not left it to the natural aspi-— 


rations of the human heart and the natural develop- 
ment of human knowledge to find Him and how to 
live in and for Him. He has revealed Himself in 
supernatural actions towards men and through 
witnesses whom He has sent. 

This revelation of God is on record for us in the 
Bible. The writings collected in the Bible are called 

44 


WHAT IT STANDS FOR 45 


the Holy Scriptures, not because they treat of holy 
things; that is, religious matters, but because they 
were prepared under a special direction and influ- 
ence of God. We say they were inspired by the 
Spirit of God. The Scriptures are human in out- 
ward form like other books. Nevertheless, they tell 
us the thoughts of God towards men. For this 
reason we say they are the Word of God. The 
United Lutheran Church holds to these truths: God 
has given a revelation of Himself; this revelation is 
recorded in the Holy Scriptures; these Scriptures 
are inspired writings; they are the Word of God. 
Its Constitution declares: ‘‘The United Lutheran 
Church in America receives and holds the Canonical 
Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the 
inspired Word of God.”’ 

It naturally follows from this that all teaching 
and life in the Church should be regulated by the 
Bible. As life grows out of faith and conduct mani- 
fests itself in practice, the rule for faith and the 
standard for practice must be found in the Holy 
Scriptures. Men believe and practice many things 
that lie outside of the scope of Bible teaching. In 
these things they are governed by natural knowl- 
edge. Men also have religious ideas by natural 
knowledge. But natural knowledge is subject to 
error. In the progress of mankind human science 
is constantly undergoing correction. But the Word 
of God, which teaches God’s thoughts towards men, 
is infallible. By it all teaching in the Church must 
be tested as to its truth. Therefore, the Constitution 
of the United Lutheran Church declares that the 
Holy Scriptures are ‘‘the only infallible rule and 
standard of faith and practice, according to which 


46 OUR CHURCH 


all doctrines and teachers are to be judged.’’ In 
another place it says: ‘‘ All matters of doctrine and 
conscience shall be decided according to the Word of 
God alone.’’ 

A question presents itself here, on which the 
United Lutheran Church has not yet had occasion to 
express itself officially. It is the question in regard 
to scientific problems and answers. But an un- 
official statement of its general attitude may be 
ventured here. On the one hand, the limitation of 
the sphere of revelation to religion is recognized. On 
the other hand, the limitations of the human mind in 
fathoming the relation of God to the world are 
known. Science must be allowed to carry its investi- 
gations as far as it can, freely and according to its 
own methods. True science never presumes to have 
the key to all knowledge. Nor does the Church have 
this key. The Church should never presume to 
prescribe what conclusions science must reach. Yet 
it must hold fast to the truth of God’s relation to the 
world and men, which igs revealed in the Bible, 
always being willing to scan anew what is really 
revealed. If differences arise between the inferences 
of science and inferences from Bible study, correc- 
_tions on one side or the other or on both sides by 
patient study must be waited for. If a residuum of 
contradiction remains, the Church must believe that ~ 
the error is not on the side of revelation, but on the 
side of science. 

The Bible is the Church’s Book for the govern- 
ment of its teachings and life. In all ages it has 
been studied to determine its meaning and applica- — 
tion to life, but not always in the same way and with — 
the same results. In the progress of human experi- — 


WHAT IT STANDS FOR 47 


ence men’s thoughts about things generally undergo 
change as do also the methods to arrive at truth. 
With these changes the methods of studying and 
interpreting the Bible also change. At the present 
time great prominence is given to scientific methods 
used in the study of history and literature generally. 
In this way things about the Bible, which were never 
observed in previous ages, have been pointed out. 
At the same time a disposition has manifested itself 
to treat the Bible as not different from any other 
literature. What attitude prevails in the United 
Lutheran Church towards the modern critical and 
historical study of the Scriptures? Here again the 
Church has not had occasion to speak officially, and 
a statement of a somewhat personal nature must be 
ventured. No disposition exists to frown upon 
modern scientific methods of Bible study. Scholars 
in the United Lutheran Church use these methods. 
But there is one vital limitation, which the Constitu- 
tion by implication puts upon any treatment of the 
Bible. It recognizes the Holy Scriptures as the 
inspired Word of God. Therefore, the United 
Lutheran Church cannot tolerate any handling of 
the Bible, which would explain its contents as merely 
natural products of human thought and history. It 
insists upon the supernatural character of the reve- 
lation in it, and, therefore, upon the absolute truth 
and reliability of that revelation. 

It is a matter of history that the fulness of the 
truth embraced in God’s Word has been only pro- 
gressively understood in the Church amid much 
misunderstanding and error. So it has come about 
that at various times formal statements in regard to 
vital points in the teaching of the Church were pre- 


48 OUR CHURCH 


pared and approved. In very early times the 
Apostles Creed came into use. In the fourth century 
amid conflicts that shook the whole Church the 
Nicene Creed was introduced. At a later time the 
Athanasian Creed was written and widely accepted. 
The United Lutheran Church in its Constitution 
declares its acceptance of all these, and thereby puts 
itself into connection with the Ancient Catholic 
Church and what has legitimately developed from it. 
The word Catholic simply means universal. The 
United Lutheran Church rejoices in the thought and 
hope of catholicity. It gladly recognizes its connec- 
tion with the whole Church of Jesus Christ on earth 
in the bond of a common faith. This bond is very 
far from perfect among the various groups of 
Christians in the world. The United Lutheran 
Church has most in common with other bodies which 
bear the name Lutheran. It has less in common with 
bodies of other names, standing closer to some and 
farther from others in common faith. But it is 
pervaded with the spirit of catholicity, that desires 
the unity of the whole Church as far as unification 
does not compromise its fidelity to the truth of the 
Word of God. In the spirit of catholicity the pre- 
amble of its Constitution contains a standing invita- 
tion to all Lutheran congregations and synods in 
America to unite with it. In the spirit of catholicity 
it adopted a comprehensive Declaration concerning 
the Church and its External Relationships, which 
treats fully of the catholic spirit in the Church. 
Here are two significant sentences from it. ‘‘To the 
eyes of men it appears that there is not one Church, 
but only many churches; nevertheless, we believe 
that there is but one Church of Jesus Christ.’’ 


WHAT IT STANDS FOR 49 


‘“Hivery group of professing Christians in which the 
Word of God is so preached and the sacraments are 
so administered that men are saved therein is truly, 
partial and imperfect as it may be, an expression of 
the one holy Church.’’ 

The Reformation brought with it a fresh study of 
the Word of God and a deeper insight into some of 
its cardinal truths. This deeper understanding of 
the Seriptures was in harmony with the teaching of 
the early Catholic creeds. Occasion arose to set it 
forth in detail in 1530 in the Augsburg Confession. 
Lutheran churches have ever since recognized this 
confession as their chief distinctive creed, and so the 
United Lutheran Church in its Constitution plants 
itself upon the Unaltered Augsburg Confession ‘‘as 
a correct exhibition of the faith and doctrine of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church, founded upon the 
Word of God.’’ In the condition and the discussions 
of the Church in the sixteenth century various other 
statements of doctrine were formulated, five of 
which have obtained general recognition in the 
Lutheran Church and accordingly are named in the 
Constitution of the United Lutheran Church and 
accepted ‘‘as in the harmony of one and the same 
scriptural faith.’’ The most notable of these is the 
layman’s confession, Luther’s Catechism. 

What now are the leading doctrines embraced in 
these Lutheran confessions? They may be arranged 
in various ways. They are not discussed in the same 
order in the different Lutheran confessions. The 
following order may serve to bring out the promi- 
nent points, and also to suggest the intimate connec- 
tion between them. In the Lutheran understanding 
of the meaning of the Gospel, Christianity is a 


50 OUR CHURCH 


doctrine of salvation; a doctrine of salvation by 
redemption; and a doctrine of salvation by justifi- 
cation; a doctrine of salvation which includes a 
doctrine of the means of salvation; including also 
doctrine of world salvation; finally, it is all this 
because it is a doctrine of the God of salvation. To 
make this more clear these points will be briefly 
elucidated in order. | 

1. Christianity is a doctrine of salvation. Some 
one may say: Christianity is a doctrine of right life. 
And so it is. But it is not simply a collection of 
rules of conduct, nor even a mere statement of the 
best moral principles. Behind the rules and princi- 
ples of right life must first be the power of right life. 
We may say Christianity is the doctrine of the 
power of right life; but then we must not limit life 
to mere conduct; and we must, furthermore, recog- 
nize that this power of life lies in divine salvation. 
Man has not the power of life in him, and this is 
also true of right life. He first needs salvation. He 
is in sin. He is sinful from his birth. Sin is uni- 
versal in humanity and it is hereditary from the first 
man, who, when he was created good by God, fell 
into sin. Some one may say: Man can repent of his 
sin. True; men can and must repent of sin, but 
repentance is not the power of right life, nor is it the 
cure for sin. Important as it is, it is only the reali- 
zation of disease; it is the sense of sinfulness. The 
Reformation began with a controversy about repent- 
ance. This was the issue in the dispute about 
Indulgences. The Church was magnifying repent- 
ance as the great cure for sin, and was making the 
cure easy by its Indulgences. Luther denied that 
repentance was the cure for sin. He taught that it 





WHAT IT STANDS FOR 51 


was the sense of sin, which man ought never to try 
to escape from. His first thesis was that the whole 
life of believers is a repentance. The first need of 
man is to know himself as a sinner in order that he 
may seek salvation. The power of life is in salva- 
tion, and it comes from God. 

2. Christianity is a doctrine of salvation by 
redemption. The Redeemer is Jesus Christ. He is 
able to redeem because as man He is able to take 
upon Himself the guilt of human sin, without sinning 
Himself; and because as God He is able to make His 
bearing the guilt of mankind effective for the salva- 
tion of all. Christ died for all men. So He recon- 
ciled mankind to God. For when God could not 
accept sinful men in their own claims, He accepted 
Christ in His sacrifice of Himself for men. By His 
death Christ made an atonement for human guilt and 
thereby redeemed us, as Luther says in the Cate- 
chism, from sin, death and the power of the devil. 
Here, now, is revealed the power of life, of right life, 
coming to men in Christ, in whom we have peace 
with God. 

3. Christianity is a doctrine of salvation by justi- 
fication. To justify means to show to be in the 
right. But sinful man is never in the right before 
God. He has no righteousness in himself. But 
when he believes that the holy, divine Christ died for 
his sins, he perceives that his condemnation has been 
borne by Christ and that his sins are forgiven by 
God for Christ’s sake. Precious are the words of 
the fourth article of the Augsburg Confession: 
‘*Men are justified freely for Christ’s sake through 
faith, when they believe that they are received into 
favor and their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake.”’ 


59 OUR CHURCH 


Such faith in Christ as the source of salvation and 
life is, as Luther said, ‘‘a living, active thing,’’ which 
delights in holiness of living. 

4. Christianity 1s a doctrine of salvation which 
includes a doctrine of the means of salvation. The 
faith which sees redemption accomplished in Christ 
and rejoices in holiness, does not come from the 
natural sinful heart of man. It is given by God, 
who sends the Holy Spirit to lead men into salvation. 
The Holy Spirit enlightens, draws and quickens 
souls to live in the trust of Christ. This He does 
first of all by the Word of God, which mirrors 
Christ, the Saviour, to the soul and reveals the love 
of God in Him. It is a distinctive feature of 
Lutheran doctrine that it emphasizes the power of 
the Holy Spirit in the Word of God, so that this 
Word is the divine means of grace. Jesus Christ 
also appointed the observance of baptism and of His 
holy Supper for the forgiveness of sins. The Word 
of God is in these sacraments, as they are called. 
Through the power of the divine Word in them, 
these also are means of grace. Baptism, consisting 
of water and the Word of God, is the means through 
which forgiveness is conferred at the beginning of 
the life of faith. In the Lord’s Supper the body 
and blood of Christ, who died for our sins, are 
imparted with bread and wine to all who receive this 
communion as pledges of divine forgiveness; but 
this forgiveness is accepted only by those who 
receive the Supper in faith. 

0. Christiamty is a doctrine of salvation which 
mcludes a doctrine of the institution of salvation. 
The Word of God is taught and the sacraments are 
administered by those who believe in Christ. This 





WHAT IT STANDS FOR 53 


is Christ’s will and command. Hence believers in 
Christ constitute a distinct community or body in 
the world, designated by the name Church. In this 
body believers nourish their faith and exercise it in 
love and good deeds; and through this body others 
are brought to faith in Christ by means of the Word 
of God and baptism. The Church fulfills this work 
of ministration of Word of God and sacraments 
chiefly through the office of the ministry, to which it 
calls and ordains men, and which is, therefore, 
properly described as the office of the means of 
erace. , 

6. Christianity is a doctrine of world salvation. 
Not only does the love of God go out to all men. Not 
only are the benefits of Christ’s redemption designed 
for all men. But the world shall be delivered from 
the destructive effects of evil init. The kingdom of 
God is being established in the world through the 
Church, and is transforming the life of mankind. 
In God’s own time this process will come to a con- 
clusion and Christ will come again to establish His 
kingdom in inward and outward perfection. He 
will sift out and reject the elements refractory to 
His rule in a final judgment, and glorify His own in 

a resurrection of the dead and in everlasting life. 
| 7. Christiamty is all that rt is because it 18 a 
doctrine of the God of salvation. Godis the Father 
God, and the Redeemer God, and the Sanctifying 
God. In the divine work of salvation God has re- 
vealed Himself as the Father; and as the Son, Jesus 
Christ, the incarnate God; and as the Holy Spirit, 
who proceeds from the Father and the Son. As God 
has revealed Himself, so He is in His eternal being. 
To designate this threefoldness in unity the 


54 OUR CHURCH 


Christian Chureh uses the name Trinity. The 
triune God is the God of salvation, who so loved the 
world as the Father, that He gave His only begotten 
Son as the Redeemer, that whosoever believeth in 
Him through the sanctifying Spirit should not 
perish, but have eternal life. 

Policies of the Umted Lutheran Church im 
America. By policies are meant general attitude in 
special lines of action. In many circles there is at 
the present time a disposition to underestimate 
doctrine and to leave it out of consideration in the 
pursuit of practical aims. But the United Lutheran 
Church is governed in its policies primarily by the 
doctrines it holds. It seeks to enter into no course 
or combination which will make it appear that it 1s 
indifferent to any doctrine of the Word of God. 
What it has declared in reference to external rela- 
tionships applies to all its policies, namely, it will 
co-operate only ‘‘in so far as this can be done with- 
out surrender of its interpretation of the Gospel, 
without denial of convictions, and without suppres- 
sion of its testimony as to what it holds to be the 
truth.’’ See Minutes of 1920, Washington, page 96. 

Where the policies may be learned. The policies 
of the United Lutheran Church may be learned best 
from its Constitution, Article VI on Objects and — 
Article VIII on Powers, and from its statement of 
Fundamental Principles as to inner organization 
and external relationships (Minutes of 1920, Wash- 
ington, pages 87-100). 

Policy as to internal relations. The United Lu- 
theran Church does not claim to carry out all the 
aims and objects of the Church. It respects the 
rights and responsibilities of congregations and 


WHAT IT STANDS FOR 55 


synods. It exists for certain specified objects, which 
are enumerated in Article VI of its Constitution. 
Its internal policy is to restrict itself to these 
objects, leaving to the synods and congregations 
what properly belongs to them. The following 
particulars should be noted. (1) The United Lu- 
theran Church exercises legislative, executive and 
judicial functions, as provided in its Constitution. 
See Minutes of 1920, page 88. (2) It, and not 
synods, conferences or boards, has the power to 
determine relations with other general bodies, 
organizations and movements. See Constitution, 
Article VIII, Section 1. (8) It exercises control 


- over its general boards and committees, although 


funds for their use must be secured primarily 
through the synods. ‘‘All general plans are to be 
approved by the United Lutheran Church.’’ See 
Minutes of 1920, pages 89, 90. (4) The right of 
autonomy of congregations must not be interfered 
with. See Constitution, Article III, Sections 3 and 
4; Minutes of 1920, page 87. (5) The full authority 
of synods, except in matters delegated to the general 
body, must be recognized. See Constitution, Article 
VIII, Sections 2, 4 and 6. ‘‘The synods should 
regard themselves as the primary agency for pro- 
moting and securing the gifts of the congregation to 
the general benevolent causes of the Church.’’ See 
Minutes of 1920, page 87. (6) General organiza- 
tions within the United Lutheran Church must be in 
harmony with the rights and powers of congrega- 
tions and synods, and dare not infringe upon them. 
The United Lutheran Church sustains an advisory 
relation to the general auxiliary organizations. See 
Minutes of 1920, pages 89 and 90. 


56 OUR CHURCH 


Policy as to languages. The United Lutheran 
Church holds to the principle that ‘‘the most effec- 
tive medium for the interpretation of God’s Word 
is the language best understood by the people to 
whom the Church ministers.’’ Accordingly it 
respects the claims of congregations, synods and 
institutions in the use of other languages than the 
common language of the country, when necessary, 
and it offers to assist in making the transition from 
one language to another. Furthermore, it sanctions 
the creation of special boards and agencies to care 
for special linguistic needs. See Minutes of 1920, 
pages 90-92. 

Policies as to Church union and external organ- 
zations and movements. In consideration of the 
numerous movements and organizations for Church 
union and co-operation on foot at this time the 
United Lutheran Church found it advisable to adopt 
an elaborate declaration of the principles by which 
it will be governed in relation to all such under- 
takings. Itis found in the Minutes of 1920, Wash- 
ington, pages 92-99. Its policies are determined in 
each case by these principles, which may be briefly 
summed up under the following heads. (1) The 
spirit of catholicity shall govern its attitude. (2) 
Co-operation and union with truly Lutheran bodies | 
are desired. (38) Organic union with other Protest- 
ant churches is possible only on the basis of a 
common confession of faith. (4) Participation in 
co-operative organizations and movements among 
Protestant churches is possible only when, or only 
in so far as, the doctrinal basis of the United Lu- 
theran Church is not thereby compromised; and, 
moreover, only when the object of the movement can 


WHAT IT STANDS FOR o7 


be approved. In accordance with such principles, 
stated in detail in the Washington declaration re- 
ferred to, the United Lutheran Church recognizes 
the American Bible Society; and it permits its 
respective boards to stand in relations with such 
bodies as the Foreign Missions Conference of North 
America and the Home Missions Council. While 
declining to unite with the Federal Council of 
Churches of Christ in America, it has established a 
‘‘consultative relation’’ with it, involving co-opera- 
tion in specified lines of activity. 

Conclusion. It is not a matter of policy, but of 
principle that the United Lutheran Church has 
expressed its disapproval of the affiliation of its 
pastors and members of its congregations with sects 
and societies, the religious and other teachings of 

which endanger the faith of Christians, and warns 
- against them. See Minutes of 1920, page 100. 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


Why has the United Lutheran Church bound itself to creeds? 
Where is the Word of God to be found? 
What is the Church’s rule of faith and conduct? 

. What attitude towards science prevails in the United Lutheran 
Church ? 
5. What is attitude towards modern methods of Bible study? 

6. Which are the catholic or ecumenical creeds? 

7. How does the United Lutheran Church show the spirit of 
catholicity? 

8. Which is the principal Lutheran confession of faith? Which 
is the layman’s confession? 

9. Which are the principal points of Christian doctrine? 

10. Why do men need salvation? 

11. What has repentance to do with salvation? 

12. How is a man redeemed? 

13. How is a man justified before God? 

14. Which are the means of grace? 

15. What is the Church, and what is the function of its ministry? 


92 pO pt 


58 OUR CHURCH 


16. What is the Christian hope for the world? 

17. What is the Christian belief about God? 

18. What principle governs the policies of the United Lutheran 
Church? 

19. Where may its policies be learned? 

20. What is its general policy as to internal relations? 

21. What relations does it hold to synods, congregations and 
auxiliary organizations? 

22. What is its policy in regard to languages? 

23. What are its chief policies in regard to Church union and 
external organizations? 

24, What is its attitude towards sects and societies that endanger 
the faith of the Christian? 


CHAPTER IV 


How Ir Is Orncanizep For Its Work 


In the previous chapters we have studied the 
origin of The United Lutheran Church in America, 


have examined the document which sets forth its 
_ governing ideas, its objects and its powers, and 
_ have reviewed the principles and policies for which 
it stands. This organization has work to do, which 


will be explicitly enlarged upon in the fifth and sixth 
chapters. It exists to perform that service. In 


order that it may be well performed, a form of 


organization exists which every member should 
understand. Thus only can he carry out his respon- 
sible share in the work. We purpose to study that 
organization in this chapter. 


It seems almost unnecessary in these days when 
the idea of organization is overemphasized to stress 
the importance and purpose thereof. Nevertheless, 
we begin with that point. There is first of all a 
practical value in organization. Our Church num- 
bers well over one million souls, each one of whom 
carries the urgent responsibility to serve men in 
Christian love unto the earth’s remotest bounds. 
There is no limit to my obligation as a Christian to 
care for all the need of all men, above all their need 
of the Gospel. I must never forget that I personally 
have the world on my soul, even when I enter into 
association with other Christians in order that we 
may unitedly aim to perform the glorious task of 

59 


60 OUR CHURCH 


our existence. That is the practical reason for 
organization. Each one of us cannot be everywhere 
to serve, nor is each one suited for all kinds of serv- 
ice. We need only beware lest when we form an 
organization our sense of individual responsibility 
be lost. Everything the Church organization does 
continues to be my responsibility. The realization 
of that fact is essential to good membership. | 


There is, however, also an :deal meaning in organi- 
zation. No man can live by and for himself. To be 
utterly alone on an island would ultimately drive to 
madness. We are social beings by nature. The 
idea of an existence as a hermit, a monk, a nun, in 
the hope of shutting one’s self in from the world and 
its influences, is both unnatural and impossible. 
Men are dependent upon one another and must fully 
recognize the fact. Selfishness, in its myriad forms, 
is simply the foolish effort to be independent of 
God and men, to live by and for one’s self. Iti is the 
root of all sin. 


Because of these things the history of mankind 
consists of one long effort to establish and to main- 
tain bonds of fellowship among men. Organizations 
of every possible description have been formed, 
including the organization of nations. All of them. 
have ultimately failed to make the bonds of human 
fellowship permanent. Even the constant emphasis 
we hear upon the brotherhood of mankind, true as 
the idea is, accomplishes little. The brotherhood 
fails to be realized, simply because all of these 
organizations possess no power to overcome and 
change that selfishness of human hearts referred to 
above. It is only through such a change that unity 


HOW IT IS ORGANIZED FOR ITS WORK 61 


among men, true brotherhood, can come to be and 
to endure. This it is which Christ accomplishes 
when He unselfishly dies for the selfishness, the sin, 
of men; when He then changes and wins their hearts 
to love for Himself; when He then leads them, out of 
love for Him, to love one another; when He thus 
finally welds them into that unity, that fellowship, 
which is His Church. This unity of Christians, 
though unseen, is real and enduring. There is one 
body, of which He is the head; one temple, of which 
He is the corner-stone. It is a consequence of all 
that we have thus seen that wherever Christians | 
establish an earthly organization, which they call 
their Church, they will aim to make it be a true 
expression of that perfect inner fellowship of men 
in Christ. This is exactly what the constitution of 
the United Lutheran Church in America declares to 
be an important object of the organization (See 
Constitution, Article VI, Section 3), ‘‘to express 
outwardly the spiritual unity of Lutheran congre- 
gations and synods.’’ This is the ideal reason for 
organization, with the mention of which the previous 
paragraph began. How wonderfully winsome our 
goal becomes in organizing our Church when we try 
to measure the thought that we wish thereby to give 
visible expression to the actual, inner unity of 
Christians in Christ. How many applications of the 
idea could be made to all our thoughts about our 
Church and to all our actions for our Church. Try 
to think of some of those applications. 

It is in complete harmony with what has been 
stated above concerning the importance and purpose 
of organization when we point out that the organi- 
zation of our Church is a representative one. We 


62 | OUR CHURCH 


are established as a republic. Indeed, we find a full 
parallel with the governments of the United States 
and of Canada. The congregations are united into 
constituent synods, which in their boundaries are 
often the same as the states of the United States or 
the provinces of Canada. These synods are consti- 
tuted in their meetings by the sending of represen- 
tatives from the congregations, consisting of the 
pastor and a layman. The relationship of congre- 
gations and synods will be more fully treated in the 
last chapter. We stop here, therefore, only to say 
that whatever a synod does constitutionally has 
been done by the congregations themselves, since the 
representatives of the latter did it. The congrega- 
tions should be prayerfully concerned for what these 
representatives of theirs have planned, since they 
are thereby committed to the plans. These con- 
stituent synods are united into one United Lutheran 
Church in America, as the states of the United 
States or the provinces of Canada together form one 
government. Here, again, the representative idea 
prevails, for in accordance with its size each synod 
sends a number of delegates, divided equally between 
ministers and laymen, to the conventions of The 
United Lutheran Church in America. It is thus the 
congregations themselves which form The United 

Lutheran Church in America and are represented | 
in it, inasmuch as they send their representatives 
through an election held by their synods. Whatever | 
is constitutionally enacted by The United Lutheran 
Church in America is done by the congregations, 
because it is done by their representatives; they are, 
therefore, committed to it. The congregations have — 
united in synods, delegating to the latter some of © 








HOW IT IS ORGANIZED FOR ITS WORK 63 


the work which Christ expects all Christians and all 
congregations to do. A portion of the work which 
can better be done by a larger organization, the 
synods have in turn delegated to The United Lu- 
theran Church in America. Always it is the work 
of the congregations which is thus committed and, 
indeed, the work of every Christian in the congrega- 
tions. 

As Christians we may, therefore, gladly recognize 
how through our representatives we are busy in 
work for Christ even when we are asleep. As the 
sun successively rises on one country after another 
around the world, men and women are rising from 
their beds, as our representatives, to do your and 
my Christian service. You and I are meeting the 
immigrants as they land, following the students to 
their schools, going into the institutions of mercy to 
visit in Christ’s name, teaching those who are to be 
our pastors and deaconesses, writing the Church 
papers and books that are issued, and doing all the 
other work we have together committed to The 


_ United Lutheran Church in America. That is rep- 


resentative organization. Truly my life is bound 


up with the lives of many Christians. Truly my 
congregation is united with thousands of others. 


My Christian fellowship is infinitely wider than 


_merely the circle of my congregation. The five 
_ cents or the five dollars which I place each Sunday 


in the benevolent side of the duplex envelope is 
systematically divided up so as to cover the whole 
world. Very earnestly must my heart enter into all 
the petitions of the general prayer in the Service on 
the Lord’s Day, as that prayer is prayed in the 
thousands of our congregations on the same day, 


64. OUR CHURCH 


for all of us are unitedly praying for all the work 
we are doing together through our representatives. 

Since we have just enlarged upon the representa- 
tive character of our organization, it may be worth 
our while to stop briefly and consider the possibility 
of too great a centralization of power in our Church. 
We hear of this danger frequently in all organiza- 
tions, even in republican national governments. 
For example, the United States fought a bitter, 
horrible civil war over the question of state rights, 
the issue being as to the extent of the authority of 
the national government over against the authority 
of state government. Likewise within a state one 
often hears the complaints of some city demanding 
‘‘home rule’’ and insisting that the state is im- 
properly interfering with the rights and liberties of 
the city. So, also, in the United Lutheran Church 
questions may arise as to the authority of the 
Church’s organization over against the synod’s 
organization, and as to the synods in relation to the 
‘‘home rule’’ of the congregations. 

Without doubt centralization of power can be 
genuinely dangerous to the spiritual life of the 
Church. This would be true if the Church should 
begin to develop elaborate prescriptions to the con- 
geregations as to their methods of work, their organ- 


ized societies and activities, and other details of — 


operation. The congregational life of the Church 
would thus become standardized. Wherever one 
traveled each congregation would be found to be a 
complete copy of all other congregations. Such a 
method would, of course, make the work of pastors 
and congregations easier, since everything would be 
prescribed for them. The vital mistake therein is 


HOW IT IS ORGANIZED FOR ITS WORK 65 


that it presumes the problems and possibilities of 
congregations to be in all respects the same. As a 
matter of fact, these often differ and cannot be 
solved by the same methods. Congregations possess 
inherent individuality, which demands the conse- 
crated and intense study of pastor and people. The 
many solutions of individual problems are added 
wealth for the Church as a whole. 

The danger of centralization gives no evidence of 
existence in our Church at present. There is, for 
instance, no monotonous sameness about our congre- 
gations. Some have believed that we possess too 
exaggerated an individualism in that respect. They 
point out that congregations are not mindful of the 
proper authority which they have freely surrendered 
to the synods and The United Lutheran Church in 
America, whereas they should naturally be loyal to 
this representative organization they have them- 
selves established. Congregations should not pro- 
ceed along their own ways, altogether unmindful of 
the other Christians in other congregations with 
whom they have freely associated themselves on the 


‘understanding that all would follow in certain 


matters as may be agreed by the common represen- 
tatives when meeting as a synod. We have, how- 
ever, sure protection against dangerous centraliza- 
tion if congregations will simply be watchful that 
synods do not go beyond the constitutional agree- 
ments, and if synods will be careful that The United 
Lutheran Church in America does not go beyond its 
constitutional objects and powers. Furthermore, 
in an established Commission of Adjudication we 
possess a judicial check upon any dangerous 
tendency. 


66 , OUR CHURCH 


We are now prepared to see how this representa- 
tive organization, the United Lutheran Church, pro- 
ceeds further to be organized. Once every two years 
the representatives of all the congregations, as 
chosen by the various synods, meet in a convention, 
which usually lasts about ten days. This meeting is, 
so to speak, our congress, our parliament. Here 
reports and recommendations are received from all 
the departments of the Church, and all decisions are © 
arrived at concerning matters which the congrega- 
tions have handed over to the Church. It is a legis- 
lative gathering, and when it adjourns no further or 
new legislation of importance can be adopted by any 
of the departments of the Church. For two years 
all the operations are determined by the actions of 
the last convention, and naturally also by the 
established constitution and by-laws. | 

However, the United Lutheran Church does not — 
cease to exist when a convention adjourns any more ~ 
than a nation ceases to exist when its congress or — 
parliament adjourns. We have stated that various 
departments report to the conventions. These 
departments are elected as to their membership at — 
the conventions. What these departments are will 
be considered later in this chapter and in succeeding © 
chapters. Likewise a general Executive Board and 
three officers of the Church are elected, a President, © 
Secretary and Treasurer. All of these, including the 
officers, execute, carry out, the decisions of the con- 
ventions. They are our executive agencies. It is 
necessary to add that the conventions, furthermore, 
elect the Commission of Adjudication, which pos- 
sesses judicial powers for the determination of 
special difficulties and contentions, as prescribed in 





HOW IT IS ORGANIZED FOR ITS WORK 67 


the constitution. Thus, as in any government, our 
Church possesses its legislative, executive and 
judicial forms of functioning. 

There is, however, one more form of organization 
in the Church which must be considered before the 
entire method of operation is understood. In the 
nation one finds in addition to legislatures and 
executive departments and courts also general 
organizations of individuals with special interests. 
For instance, the teachers of the nation form power- 
ful educational associations. Similarly one finds the 
farmers, the laborers, the bankers, and others 
strongly organized and all doing the work of the 
nation. These organizations are often legally 
incorporated and may, of course, do nothing con- 
trary to the organized government. They are not 
directly a part of the government, but possess im- 
portant guiding influence and when truly conceived 
are supporters of the government. Thus also very 
early in the history of the Christian Church ten- 
dencies developed which soon led to the establish- 
ment of the great orders of monks and nuns. They 
were not directly a part of the organization of the 
Church, but were recognized, and became powerfully 
influential. Itis probably true that the Jesuit Order 
controls the Roman Catholic Church today. In 
Protestantism, also, there have always been various 
forms of associations, recognized by the Church, and 
more or less directly forming a part of the organiza- 
tion. In America today these have taken the form 
of men’s, women’s and young people’s societies. 
Thus we have our Brotherhoods, Laymen’s Move- 
ments, Women’s Missionary Societies and Luther 
Leagues. 


68 OUR CHURCH 


Questions are sometimes asked as to the desira- 
bility of such forms of organization. It is said, for 
instance, that the entire Church and not merely the 
women should be recognized as a missionary society. 
However, such associations are recognized by us as 
desirable and, when rightly established, are a great 
blessing. The important fact to be emphasized in 
their existence is that they shall so operate as 
primarily to render the congregations more efficient. 
In this their possibilities are great and are to be 
worked out steadily in conjunction with the synods. 
Emphasis should not be laid upon them as great 
general and national bodies. Stress upon that side 
of their existence might prove detrimental to the 
interests of all the other forms of organization we 
possess. It would, furthermore, seem to be the 
creation of something alongside of the Church in the 
form of a great men’s church, women’s church or 
young people’s church. In this respect our societies 
have carefully guarded themselves. 

We may now give the remainder of this chapter, 
and indeed the next two chapters, to a consideration 
of the departments of work previously referred to, 
which The United Lutheran Church in America 
possesses. Since there are many activities which the 
thousands of congregations are carrying on in this 
united organization, it is necessary that departments 
be established if the work is to be efficient. They are 
similar to the departments of national governments, 
State Department, War Department, ete. They are 
called boards, committees or commissions. All of 
them have a threefold sphere or responsibility. 1, 
Pioneer. They are to examine the possibilities for 
work of the special kind assigned to them, studying 


HOW IT IS ORGANIZED FOR ITS WORK 69 


constantly the opportunities. Policies and methods 
are to be determined, which are then recommended 
to the conventions for approval. 2, Educational. 
What they see and learn must be made plain to the 
congregations. Careful plans must be devised to 
educate the entire membership. 3, Executive. With 
the funds provided by the congregations they are to 
administer the work which has been planned and 
approved. 

The establishment of departments for special 
work brings with it several problems or necessities. 
For instance, there must be one department which 
can co-ordinate the work of all other departments 
between the conventions, which can care for all work 
not specifically given to any department, and which 
can represent the Church as a whole in the interim. 
Such a department we have in the above-mentioned 
Executive Board, of which the three officers of the 
Church are members and of which they are also the 
officials. 

A second problem is as to the number of depart- 
ments of work the Church should have. Circum- 
stances largely control this, new departments being 
created as new opportunities and needs arise. Like- 
wise some committees, for instance, have only a 
temporary purpose and the necessity for others dis- 
appears. So that some changes in this respect are 
constant. The Church can readily make such 
changes, since an examination of its constitution 
reveals that only the Executive Board and the Com- 
mission of Adjudication are named therein. All 
other departments are named only in the by-laws, 
which can be amended at any convention of the 
Church. 


70 OUR CHURCH 


There exists, however, a scriptural determination 
as to the fundamental divisions of the Church’s 
work. Our Lord Himself has given us clear indica- 
tions of that work and of its prime divisions. In 
many places in the New Testament there are sum- 
mary statements of what Christ did and of what His 
followers are asked to do after Him. For instance, 
we read in Matthew 4: 23: ‘‘ And Jesus went about in 
all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preach- 
ing the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all 
manner of disease and all manner of sickness among 
the people.’’ Matthew 9:35: ‘‘And Jesus went 
about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their 
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the king- 
dom, and healing all manner of disease and all 
manner of sickness.’’ Preaching, teaching, healing. 
Frequently any two of these three are mentioned in 
combination. His commissions to the Church (con- 
sult Matthew 28: 19-20; Mark 16: 15-18) include the 
same elements of evangelizing, teaching and deeds of 
mercy. All of His activity consisted in proclaiming 
the kingdom and its good news, in teaching all who 
came, in going about doing good. That activity 
found its climax in the death and resurrection, which 
is the very center of all true preaching, which con- 


tains wisdom for eternal study and teaching, which | 


constitutes His greatest act of loving service. 
Ascended, His Spirit stirs in the heart of every 
Christian, of every congregation, of His whole 
Church the unquenchable desire for the missionary 
or evangelistic task, for the teaching of the faith, for 
works of serving love to suffering mankind. Here, 
then, is the Church’s task. Here are the divisions 
of her work, whereby she reveals the true Christ, 





HOW IT IS ORGANIZED FOR ITS WORK 70 


confesses her faith, develops congregational life. 
The task, with its divisions, may be graphically pic- 
tured in very simple statement. Through baptism 
and the preaching of the Word human lives are 
evangelized, gathered within the Church. That is 
first. Gathered thus, the Church teaches them all 
the counsel of God. Then, however, they are all to 
go forth once more, their walk and conversation full 
of deeds of unselfish, serving love, done for Jesus’ 


sake. Gathering men, educating them, sending them 


out in love. Saving, studying, serving. 

Whether the number of departments in the 
Church’s work be few or many the above division 
must be recognized. The following chapters will 
reveal how clearly this has been done by us. Fur- 
thermore, the Church must recognize the high im- 
portance of all three divisions. It must not be per- 
mitted that any one of the three be minimized or be 
unduly exalted above the others. The Church as a 
whole must not do it nor permit any of its agencies 
to do it. Even in the organization of the congrega- 
tions this threefold division of the Church’s work 
must be recognized. The works of evangelizing, 
teaching and loving service must receive fullest 
attention there. May we not properly say that a 


congregation of ordinarily large membership really 


needs three directors. In addition to the pastor, who 
is naturally head over all the work and who will 
especially direct evangelistic efforts, there should 
also be, under him, a teacher (educational director) 
for the educational work and a parish deaconess or 
other parish worker for guidance of the work of 
serving love. Such a congregation’s failure to feel 
the need of these would seem to indicate a failure to 


72 OUR CHURCH 


recognize the congregation’s whole task. These 
leaders are naturally to be guides and inspirers only, 
not to do the congregation’s own work. 


QUESTIONS 


What is the practical reason for organization? 
What is the ideal reason for organization? 
Explain the representative organization of our Church. 
4, Name some inspiring suggestions which arise from this 
representative idea. 
5. What is the danger to the Church’s spiritual life from too 
great centralization of power? 
6. Distinguish between the legislative, executive and judicial 
functions of the Church. 
7. Explain the value of our men’s, women’s and young people’s 
societies. 
8. Describe the three responsibilities of the boards of the Church? 
9. What responsibilities are laid upon the Executive Board? 
10. How did Christ divide the work of the Church? 


Seb ee Se 


ee 


CHAPTER V 


Wuat Its Work Is 


The Church is not an aggregation of things with- 
out life; nor is it simply an association or society; 
it is a body of which Christ is the Head and those 
who believe in Him the members. Consisting as it 
does of many members united in the living Head 
and having their life in Him, the Church is a body 
of life. 

The Church lives. The life which it lives it lives 
by the faith of the Son of God who loved it and 
gave Himself for it. There is one Lord and one 
faith; and it is just as true of the Church that it 
_ lives by its faith in Jesus Christ the Lord as it is 


of the individual Christian. That the Church be- 


heves in Jesus Christ is at the same time also 
evidence that it lives. 

The Church rejoices in its faith and in the bless- 
ings which its faith receives. It is sure that the 
like faith will bring equal joy and blessing to all 
who hear and believe. It is not ashamed, therefore, 
to confess its faith. On the other hand, it joyfully 
proclaims that which it believes and whereby it 
lives. It seeks, in accordance with the Lord’s com- 
mand and with the same love wherewith He loved 
the world, to make the Gospel known ‘‘for obedience 
to the faith among all nations.’’ 

The Church takes unto itself a form of external 
organization. (See Chapter IV.) This is an expres- 
sion of its life. It organizes into congregations, 

73 


74 OUR CHURCH 


synods and general bodies, such as The United Lu- 
theran Church in America with its constituent 
Synods, numbering at present thirty-five. This it 
does for the sake of greater efficiency in maintain- 
ing and promoting the pure faith of the Gospel, in 
carrying out the will of the Lord in establishing 
the Church and committing to it the Word and 
sacraments. It does this also prompted by that love 
which is the fruit of the Spirit and by the desire 
of believers to work together for the glory of Christ, 
for their own edification and for the salvation and 
service of mankind. 

The living Church acts in renee endeavor to 
fulfil the Lord’s will. Its activities may be reduced 
to a threefold classification, according as they are, 
chiefly missionary, educational or merciful. It is 
impossible, however, to distinguish between these 
several spheres of activity in such a way that one 
of them shall not have much in common with the 
others. The aim of all is the blessed life for the 
largest number to the glory of God. 


I. Tse Misstonary Work 


Missionary work rightly understood is the pri- 
mary Christian duty in relation to the world: It © 
is the life work of the Church on earth, the work — 
which it must do if it would live and as long as it 
lives. 

1. The Idea. Fundamentally the missionary 
idea of the Church is that of telling abroad the good 
news of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is 
to evangelize, a Greek word which came into the > 
English through the Latin mouth and which means, 





| 


WHAT ITS WORK IS 7) 


in whatsoever tongue, to bring good tidings to. The 
English equivalent, though rarely used, is gospelize. 

The missionary idea involves further the in- 
gathering of souls into the Church of Christ and 
the ministration of Word and sacrament to the end 
that they may be built up steadfast, strong and 
complete in the faith and in the life. 

The carrying out of the missionary idea of propa- 
gating the knowledge of Christ and of His Gospel 
involves also expression. 

This takes many forms, and first of all in speech 
or language. The medium of evangelization is the 
spoken and the written word. Therefore, the first 
task of the missionary is to learn the language of 
the people to whom he is sent. Then, if they have 
no written language, he must give them one, so 
that they may read and thus enlarge their knowl- 
edge of Christian truth and extend the truth to 
others. 

The missionary idea finds expression also in 
Christian education. This is as necessary in the 
foreign as in the home fields, and it is the same in 
both with the necessary modifications. See Out- 
line, IT. 

Inasmuch as the missionary idea aims at nothing 
short of a Christian society instinct with the spirit 
of the Master, and serving in His Name, it expresses 
itself by providing for the relief of suffering and 
need wherever found and for the promotion of the 
social welfare. This includes the care of the poor, 
of orphans, defectives, the aged and the like; the 
providing of homes, food, clothing, medicines and 
other supplies where needed; also provision for the 
advancement of the people in general education, in 


76 OUR CHURCH 


industry, in the various crafts, in pure arts and in 
all useful knowledge. See Outline, Il, 2 a (2), 
and IIT. 


2. The Scope. The Lord defined the scope of 
the Church’s missionary task when He said, ‘‘Go 
ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every 
creature.”’ 


It is betes he to speak of Home Missions and 
Foreign Missions, and though the distinction is not 
clear and adequate it serves in a general way to 
distinguish between our missionary operations 
within the territory of the United States and Canada 
and the work which we are doing outside of those 
countries, especially in non-Christian lands. The 
work in Canada must be regarded as Home Mission 
work, both because it is concerned with Christian 
populations and because the United Lutheran 
Church came into being with dimensions which 
embraced Canada. See Outline 1, 2, a and b, and 
Chapter VI. 


3. The Method. The method of the Church in 
establishing and carrying on its missionary work 
does not differ essentially from that which it em- 
ploys in countries and places where the Church is 
established. It dispenses the means of grace, 
preaches the Word and administers the sacraments 
which were given as the means unto salvation. This 
the Church does through ordained missionaries. 

Qualified unordained helpers are used in the edu- 
eational work; for wherever the Church is planted 
schools become necessary. This is true in every 
field, whether home or foreign. The schools, ex- 
cepting the theological, conform in the main to the 


WHAT ITS WORK IS Tt 


educational system of the country, but afford the 
additional advantage of Christian instruction. 

In order to marshal the whole of its strength for 
the missionary task and to conduct the work more 
intelligently and efficiently the Church has estab- 
lished certain boards; for the work of Foreign Mis- 
sions it has board 3. For its home mission opera- 
tions it has boards 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. See List. The 
Women’s Missionary Societies, general, synodical 
and local, exist for the same purpose and form a 
powerful auxiliary force. 

By means of these and other agencies the Church 
keeps in constant touch with the field and also in- 
structs and informs the people and seeks their 
whole-hearted support. Chapters VI and VII con- 
tain much matter relevant to this section. 


Il. Tuer Epucationan Worx 


The Church must educate. This has ever been 
regarded as necessary, and in the work of educa- 
tion the Church has always been a pioneer. It has 
been its policy to establish schools where there were 
none, and where others have led the way the Church 
has, until comparatively recent times, wielded a 
controlling influence upon the course of education. 
1. The Idea. Education as fostered and car- 
ried on by the Church must be Christian. It must 
differ from a purely secular education in some im- 
portant way, and must offer something which is 
better; otherwise the schools of the Church would 
have no just and prior claim to the patronage and 
support of the people, and their very existence 
would no longer be a matter of special concern. 


73 OUR CHURCH 


Christian education requires not only that there 
be Christian teachers, men and women who walk in 
the way of faith and are able to sympathize with 
youth and guide it to the true light; not only that 
the Church with its ministries and associations 
must be an ever-present, watchful and kindly par- 
ticipant in the work, but there must be something 
in the very concept which differentiates it from 
education in general. If education is a complex 
idea we add something to the complex when we 
speak of Christian education. We mean an educa- 
tion which begins and proceeds with the constant 
recognition of the truth as revealed in Holy Scrip- 
ture and as divinely given for fulness and beauty 
of life in time and in eternity. This education never 
forgets God. ‘To it the child or youth is an immor- 
tal being made in the image of God. In reality, as 
it knows itself and is known by others, this handi- 
work of God falls far short of likeness to Him who 
made it. Herein is sin, and to this Christian eduea- 
tion cannot be blind. Neither can it ever lose sight 
of Jesus Christ the Saviour of sinners and of all 
that He has done and given for our salvation. The © 
Bible is treated reverently in the spirit of faith and 
not of trifling criticism. 

In Christian education these things must enter — 
constantly as life-giving and molding influences and — 
nothing must be allowed to displace or obscure them. 
This is the differential characteristic which gives it © 
distinctive value. Christian education is always © 
positive and constructive in regard to faith, right — 
and duty. 

These things being properly attended to it de- © 
spises or neglects nothing that contributes to the — 





“Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me, and Forbid 
Them Not: For of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven” 





SRbiyrhietergersetpas 


| 
| 








ELISTS 


TN 
G 


CHRIST AND THE EVA! 


WHAT ITS WORK IS 79 


full development of mind and body, to an adequate 
preparation for a right enjoyment of life and for 
fullest service in all of life’s relations. It is a 
fitting and perfecting process which seeks to rear 
the whole man for the whole of life and all that it 
means. II Tim. 3:17. 


2. Scope; and 3. Method. As regards the scope 
and method of Christian education a reference to 
the accompanying Outline will suffice. <A careful 
study of the Outline, IT, 2 and 3, will show to what 
a surprising extent the work of the Church is edu- 
cational and will open to view the wide and varied 
field for lay activity in the Church. 


Til. Tue Merctrut Work 


From the life of Jesus we learn that mercy must 
be an ever-present and active quality of those who 
would be His followers. Mercy showed itself in all 
of His works. As for His teaching we need only 
recall the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Turn 
to the tenth chapter of Luke and read it, beginning 
at verse 20. 


Christian literature and art have ever lent them- 


_ selves largely to the exaltation of mercy; and the 
finest products of organized Christianity are its 


institutions and other agencies for the manifold 
work of mercy. 


1. The Idea. Mercy is more than an emotional 
experience. It is more than mere sympathy. It is 
not tearful; it is glad eyed, and that because it is 
doing something for the relief of suffering or for 
the help of somebody in need. 


80 OUR CHURCH 


First of all, it is the response of heart and hand, 
voice, eye and purse to the appeal of physical 
destitution and bodily distress. It is drawn to the 
needy, the helpless, the friendless, the down-and- 
out. It reaches out to them the helping hand, re- 
heves immediate needs and provides, where possible, 
for self-help. However, if done in the Christian 
spirit, the ministry of mercy looks deeper and 
further than physical and temporal well-being. By 
its kindliness and sympathy it seeks to lead to Jesus 
and to the life that men find in Him. It is one way 
of lifting up Christ before the world, and a most 
effective way. 

2. Scope; and 3. Method. Where and how the 
ministry of mercy is carried on is indicated clearly 
enough, though not exhaustively, in the Outline, ITI, 
2 and 3. In studying this outline each sub-topic 
should lead to careful inquiry as to existing needs 
and opportunities and what is being done and ought 
to be done to meet these needs. 


OUTLINE 
I, THE MISSIONARY WoRK 


1. The Idea 


a. What it denotes: 


Propagation. Ingathering 


Upbuilding 
Language 
Christian Education (IT) 
Care of Poor, Or- 


{ Evangelization 


h Defecti 
b. What it connotes: ay ie efectives, 
: ‘ 


; Relief Work (IIT) 
E . 
xpression Homes, Food, Cloth- 


ing, Medicines, ete. 
Uplift Work (II.2 (a) 2). General enlight- 
enment, Industry, Arts, Crafts, ete. 


WHAT ITS WORK IS 8] 
2. The Scope—The World 


Here are to be ineluded the established 
Churches, Home Mission points, The 
language problem is involved. For this 
work we have Boards 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 
Committee 4.* 


The fields entered: Africa, China, India, 
Japan and South America, 
Assistance to the German Missions in 
India and other countries, 
Fields that are calling: Russia and other 
countries. 
For this work we have Board No, 3. 


. Home Missions. 


. Foreign Missions. 


8. The Method 


Word and Sacra- special services, personal evangelism, ete. 
ments, See I.1.a. 


In the Schools of the Church. 

In Societies (Women’s Missionary, Junior 
Missionary, Luther Leagues, Study Classes, 
Publications, ete.). 

In the Home. 


Missionary Societies: Local, synodical, 
general. 
These should seek to embrace the entire 
Church membership. 
Boards, Committees, ete. These are to study 
the fields and direct the work. 
We have Boards Nos, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 
Committees Nos, 6, 9, 11. 


. By Teaching. 


. By Organization. 


. By Ministration of { This is fundamental; includes stated and 


THE EDUCATIONAL WORK 
1. The Idea 


. Evangelical: Starts with the recognition of sin, the atone- 
ment, means of grace (Baptism, Word, 
Sacrament of the Altar). 


* NoteE.—The numbers of Boards and Committees correspond with those 


of the lists on page 170. Where Boards and Committees are referred to 
more than once, the last reference gives all that are of a distinctively 
missionary character. The other references show their special place in the 
scheme. This remark applies to all parts of the Outline, I, IJ, and III. 


82 


b. Didactic, corrective 
training. 


a. Whom does it em- 
brace? 


b. What does it seek 
to accomplish ? 


a. By Local Agencies. 


| 
: 


OUR CHURCH 
Embracing all of the human faculties and 


all of life’s relations; a fitting and per- 
fecting process. 2 Tim. 3: 16, 17. 


2. The Scope 


Child 
The Indi- | Youth ribs: 

1. The entire vidual, Adult . 
Church Aged Tere 
member- Family or Home, 
ship. The The Chureh School. 


Group. | The Congregation. 
Other Groups. 


Moral and Social Uplift (See 


ae cae I, 1, b). Committee 10. 
i pu Industrial Reform, Commit- 
= tee 10. . 


Along with a general education it seeks: 

1. To build up in the faith; instruct, con- 
firm, establish. 

2. To promote the devotional life. Com- 
mittees Nos. 2, 3, 12. 

3. To enlist and train workers, and to locate 
them. 

4. To keep records, promote knowledge of 
Church’s history, activities, biography, 
statistics, etc., ete. Secretaries and 
Boards, 9, 11; Committees 14, 16, 17; 
Special Societies. 


3. The Method 


. The Parental Office. 
The Parish Schools. 
. The Catechetical Class. 
The Church Service. 


tees 7, 8. 
. Publications (Publicity), Art, Music, ete. 
Board 11; Committees 3, 12, 13. 


for) 


. Group Meetings, Societies, ete. Commit- 


CERES e cies ini) YS 


b. By Specializing 
Agencies, 


ce. By General Boards 
and Committees. 


WHAT ITS WORK IS 83 


if 


9 
ae 


For training lay teachers, officers and 
workers the agencies are study classes, 
Colleges, Bible and Training Schools, 
Deaconess Institutions, ete. 

For training Pastors the agencies are 
Colleges, Theological Seminaries, ete. 


For such work we have Boards Nos. 9, 10, 


11, 13, 16 and Committees 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 
12, 18, 14, 16, 17. The Department of 
Stewardship and Benevolence and the Ex- 
ecutive Committee of the Laymen’s Move- 
ment; Special Societies, ete. 


Itt, THe MERCIFUL WORK 


Lit he“ Laée 


To show the compassion of Christ in deeds as well as in words; it 
reaches the bodies as well as the souls of men. 


a. Local. 


b. Institutional. 


ce. Special. 


Hm Co bo Hm oo DO Et 


who ee 


2. The Scope 


In the Congregation. 
In the Community, 


. In Hospitals and Asylums, 


In Prisons and Reformatories. 


In Orphanages 
In Homes for the Aged, ete, 
In Homes for Epilepties. 


. In State Institutions for Deaf, Dumb, 


Blind, etc. 


. Immigrants and Seamen’s Missions. 


Ministerial Relief. 

In stricken districts and countries, 

European Relief, Near East Relief, China 
Famine and the like. 


3. The Method 


a. Through individual ministries (local). 


b. By Congregational and City Organizations, 
c. Synodical Organizations or Committees. 


84 OUR CHURCH 


Inner Mission Board, No. 10. 

Board of Ministerial Relief, No. 12. 

Board of Deaconess Work, No. 14. 

National Lutheran Home for the Aged, No. 
15. 

National Lutheran Council, No. 18. 


d. General Boards, ete. 


For the whole work of the Church (I, II and III) we have the 
Constituent Synods and The United Lutheran Church in America. 


So far nothing has been said in the Chapter or 
in the Outline concerning finance, which also belongs 
to the work of the Church in all departments. The 
plan presented below was prepared by the Treas- 
urer of the United Lutheran Church and is used 
here with his consent. 


THe FInancriaL PLAN 


For two reasons money is an essential in all Chris- 


tian enterprise: 

Without it there can be no support of pastors and missionaries, 
no building of churches nor printing of Bibles and other religious 
literature. It is needed to give material expression to the love of 
God in the heart of man. 


For these reasons the United Lutheran Church 
has done no more than its duty in developing and 
providing the best financial system anywhere to be 
found. It contains the elements necessary in such 
a system: 

Simplicity of Method, 


Directness of Application, 
Automatic in Operation. 


It means that our people in obedience to the last 
command of our Lord, and realizing the responsi- 
bility of their stewardship, assume the program of 
the missionary, educational and merciful work au- 
thorized by their delegates at the biennial conven- 


WHAT ITS WORK IS 85 


tion of the Church and provide the money needed 
in accordance with 


THE PLAN 


(1) An annual every-member canvass by devoted 
laymen in every congregation of the Church with 
(2) A distribution of weekly duplex envelopes to 
provide separately for ‘‘Local Eixpenses’’ and 
‘‘Benevolences’’ and (3) A pledge by every member 
to contribute weekly an honest portion of his income 
to the Lord’s work. (4) The ‘‘Benevolences’’ are 
remitted monthly by the treasurer of the congrega- 
tion to the treasurer of synod in order that (5) 
the synodical treasurer may in turn send it monthly 
to the treasurer of the United Lutheran Church 
for (6) distribution to our boards on the basis 
agreed by the Church in order that our missionaries 
at home and in remote parts of the world may be 
paid monthly and all other expenses be promptly 
met. 

Every member of the United Lutheran Church 
will do his part if he is 

Honest toward God, 
Loyal to his Church, 


and 
Loves his fellow man. 


Under this plan the money for the Lord’s busi- 
ness is collected without expense and should be 
available as needed. 

It must be remembered that the apportionment 
represents only the minimum amount that should 
be forthcoming from each synod and congregation 
toward the Budget of our Church and that our real 
response should be in proportion to our blessings. 


86 OUR CHURCH 


The apportionment should never be regarded as a 
standard of duty in the matter of giving. It deter- 
mines nothing in answer to the question how much 
one ought to give. It may exceed the ability and, 


therefore, the duty of one, and fall far below that 


of another. Christian giving, in fact, comes to its 
genuine expression not so much in giving an amount 
which another says one ought to give as in giving 
largely enough that in the giving joy and gratitude 
may come to full maturity. The Church must plan 
its work at least a year in advance; in its plans it 
must consider the question of expense. The appor- 
tionment informs the membership of the Church as 
to the minimum of money necessary to carry out 
the plans as made. This applies to the congrega- 
tions, the synods and the boards of the United Lu- 
theran Church. The apportionment becomes an 
obligation upon synods and congregations when 
accepted by their representatives in convention. 
Such acceptance in convention amounts to a cove- 
nant between all concerned to work together to raise 
the full amount. Each synod, congregation and 


member must, therefore, settle in prayer to God | 


the question of responsibility for the fulfillment of 
this covenant and the faithful discharge of the 
stewardship. 


QUESTIONS 

1. How does the Church live and in what ways does it express its 
life? 

2. To what threefold classification may the activities of the 
Church be reduced? 

3. What is the fundamental missionary idea? 

4, What other things are involved in the carrying out of the 
missionary idea? 

5. Where are the mission fields of the United Lutheran Church? 
(See Outline I.) 


ee ew en a 


ST one ee ee 


WHAT ITS WORK IS 87 


6. What can you say of the method of carrying out the mis- 
sionary idea? 

7. What has been the policy of the Church in regard to edu- 
cation? 

8. What elements are involved in Christian education? 

9. What can you say of the scope and method of Christian edu- 
cation? (See Outline II.) 

10. Where do we find example and inspiration for the ministry 
of mercy? 

11. How is mercy characterized and what ends does it seek? 

12. Where and how is the ministry of mercy carried on? (See 
Outline ITI.) 

13. Are you helping to the best of your ability in financial sup- 
port of the Church’s work? 


CHAPTER VI 


How Its Work Is Done 


When our Lord Jesus Christ says, ‘‘Go ye into 
all the world and make disciples of all nations,’’ He 
means that every one of his followers should share 
in the work of fulfilling His command. The com- 
mon Christian obligation involved is most effec- 
tively performed by co-operation. It would be im- 
practical, not to say disorderly, for each Christian 
to undertake to do missionary work independently 
of all others. This is equally true of benevolent 
and educational work. 


There are times and places for individual Chris- 
tian effort, but for the sake of properly co-ordinated, 
combined and effective work the Church has organ- 
ized and maintains a number of boards and com- 
mittees. It seeks in this way to relate individual 
and congregational activity in obedience to Christ’s 
command to the work of the entire Church. 

Including the Executive Board, the Commission 
of Adjudication and the Executive Committee of - 
the Laymen’s Movement, The United Lutheran 
Church in America has organized its manifold ac- 
tivity under the direction of seventeen boards. 
There are also numerous standing committees, each 
having a more or less specific task. 


The recital of the work of the United Lutheran 
Church in America given in this chapter is intended 
not only to inform the student, but also to develop 

88 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 89 


a truer and keener sense of the joint obligation in 
which each member of the Church must share in 
the fullest possible measure by personal service, by 
contribution of money and by helping in the concert 
of prayer. 


I. Musston Work 
A. Foreign 


For the administration of its foreign mission 
work the United Lutheran Church has a Board of 
Foreign Missions, composed of twenty-one mem- 
bers, thirteen of whom are ministers. With these 
are associated three representatives of the Augus- 
tana Synod and two of the United Danish Church 
as co-operating members, and two advisory mem- 
bers of the Women’s Missionary Society. The 
executive functions of the board are committed to 
general secretaries. 

The work of foreign missions is done in remote 
lands, in different languages, among diverse peo- 
ples. The scope of operations is extensive not only 
as related to geography, but also as to its character, 
including the formation and conduct of churches, 
schools of all kinds and grades, hospitals and dis- 
pensaries, industries and industrial training, insti- 
tutions of mercy, book stores, printeries and the 
production of literature translated and original. 
Attention must be given also to building operations, 
foreign exchange, negotiations with governments, 
preparation of missionaries and a mass of details 
relating to both home and foreign administration. 

At the bimonthly meetings of the Board of For- 
eign Missions the docket includes numerous items 


90) OUR CHURCH 


and comprehends phases of Christian activity which 
in America are distributed among the other sixteen 
boards of the Church. 

At the home base, as well as in the foreign fields, 
the conduct of missions in non-Christian lands calls 
for expert knowledge, constant application and 
whole-hearted consecration. For the more efficient 
conduct of its business the board is divided into 
committees representing the various mission fields 
and home departments, and each general secretary 
conducts the correspondence of the departments 
assigned to him. Hach secretary in the office of the 
Lutheran Foreign Missions House in Baltimore 
consults the other secretaries in person or in cabinet 
and submits his conclusions with the approval of 
his colleagues to the proper committee, and through 
it to the board for final disposition. Thus, every 
important action passes through several stages of 
consideration and must have behind it the approval 
of at least a majority of the members of the board. 

The foreign missions of The United Lutheran 
Church in America are located in the Madras Presi- 
dency, South India; in China, Japan, Liberia, West 
Africa; in British Guiana and Argentine, South 
America. For a description of these fields and the 


people who inhabit them, other books, pamphlets — 


and the board’s magazines should be consulted; but 
the names of the non-Christian peoples to whom our 
foreign missionaries are preaching the Gospel 
should be known by heart: the Telugus and Oriyas 
in South India, the Chinese, the Japanese, the 
Kpeles in Liberia, Africa, and the Arawak Indians 
in British Guiana, South America. The inhabitants 


of Buenos Aires, whom our missionaries are seeking — 


: 
| 
| 
: 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE oI 


to reach with the open Bible, are Spanish-speaking 
Argentines. 

The roster of our foreign missionaries includes 
the names of 175 men and women, of whom 58 are 
wives of missionaries. Sixty per cent. or 105 of 
these are serving in the fields of our India Mission, 
o4 are in Japan, 30 in Liberia, 3 in Buenos Aires 
and 2 in New Amsterdam, South America. To this 
working missionary force must be added the native 
pastors and workers of all grades in our mission 
fields, numbering over three thousand, of whom 
thirty are ordained native pastors. The largest 
number are in the India Mission, as follows: 20 
pastors, 2183 men, 1308 women. In the other mis- 
sions the education of native workers is assuming 
an increasingly important place in the program of 
mission effort. 

It is a source of encouragement that each year 
there is a gratifying increase in the number of 
Christians in our foreign fields. In India the net 
increase in membership during the year 1922 was 
4136, and the entire Lutheran community in the 
Guntur and Rajahmundry fields now numbers nearly 
100,000. These figures do not include the Jeypore 

field, formerly the Breklum Mission, for which we 
have assumed full responsibility until a part or all 
of this field can be returned to its original patron, 
the Schleswig-Holstein Missionary Society of 
Germany. 

In India and Japan organized native churches are 
rapidly developing, and the problems of their or- 
ganization and of relations to the organized Mis- 
sions and to the Church at home are pressing for 
a solution. However, the day is probably far distant 


92 OUR CHURCH 


when we shall have in any of our fields a self-sup- 
porting, self-governing and self-propagating native 
Church. 


The Board of Foreign Missions calls and commis- 
sions those who desire to become missionaries and 
who are found to have the necessary qualifications. 
It pays their traveling expenses and furnishes 
salary and allowances sufficient for the maintenance 
of good health and efficient service. 


Kivery seven years the men in India, Japan and 
Argentine, and every five years the women in these 
fields may return to America on furlough. For Li- 
beria the term of service in the field has been short- 
ened to twenty-seven months. Missionaries use 
their furlough periods for rest and recuperation, 
for further preparation and for renewed contacts 
with the home Church. 


The cultivation of the home base by the Board of 
Foreign Missions is carried on through correspon- 
dence, literature and the work of the secretaries 
and of missionaries on furlough. The United Lu- 
theran Church has set apart the Epiphany season 
of the Church Year as the time for intensive foreign 
missionary education and: effort, culminating in 
Foreign Mission Day. The magazines of the board, - 
The Foreign Missionary in English and Der Mis- 
stonsbote in German, published monthly, keep the 
home Church in constant touch with the foreign 
work and workers. The annual report and other 
published literature furnish needed informational 
and inspirational reading material. But in the last 
analysis the pastor in the congregation, Sunday 
School and societies is the most influential and in- 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 93 


dispensable factor in the development of missionary 
interest and effort. 


While The United Lutheran Church in America 
is undoubtedly forging ahead in its foreign mission 
work, the needs of the work abroad are increasing 
so rapidly that the advance does by no means keep 
pace with the requirements. The total income of 
the board slightly exceeds $700,000 a year, of which 
about one-half is provided by apportionments, one- 
fifth by the Women’s Missionary Society and the 
rest by contributions for special objects, such as 
foreign mission pastors, proteges, annuities, be- 
quests and special funds like the Foreign Mission 
Forward Fund. 


It should be noted in this connection that the 
Women’s Missionary Society has assumed entire 
financial responsibility for all women’s work in our 
foreign fields, recommends women candidates to the 
Board of Foreign Missions and is an indispensable 
force in the Church for the cultivation of foreign 
mission interest and endeavor. 


The Foreign Mission expenditures reveal many 
interesting facts. Fifty-seven per cent. of the 
money sent abroad goes to India, almost 10 per 
cent. to Africa, 27 per cent. to Japan and the rest 
to South America. Only 6 per cent. of the entire 
expenditure is used for administration and pub- 
licity. Thirty-one dollars and twenty-one cents out 
of every one hundred dollars paid on apportionment 
to the entire budget of the United Lutheran Church 
goes to foreign missions. For every forty-five hun- 
dred Lutherans in our United Lutheran Church 
there is but one missionary. 


94 OUR CHURCH 


With nearly a million dollars invested in prop- 
erty in India, Japan, Liberia, British Guiana and 
Argentine, with seven hundred thousand dollars as 
an annual expenditure, with 175 foreign mission- 
aries and over 3000 native workers abroad, with a 
new mission in China, with increasingly intelligent 
and energetic co-operation at home, the Board of 
Foreign Missions is endeavoring to administer the 
work of the United Lutheran Church in its foreign 
fields in such a way as to secure the richest returns 
from its investment. 


B. Home 
Home Missions and Church Extension 


The department of work which we know in our 
Church as Home Missions and Church Extension 
has been the chief agency by which the Church has 
been planted, fostered and extended in the home 
land. The administration of this work has been 
committed to The Board of Home Missions and 
Church Extension. 

The Function of Home Missions. The particular 
duty of the board is to discover fields of home mis- 
sion need and opportunity and to inaugurate the 
work of planting the Church by sending mission- 


aries and by extending financial aid until the mis- — 


sion churches attain sufficient strength to assume 
their own support. 


The particular sphere of Ghureh Extension is to 


: 
| 
: 
: 


give such advice and offer such financial assistance 
to the new congregation as it may require in the 
erection of a suitable house of worship. 

The Field. <A clear and definite knowledge of the 


{ 
q 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 95 


extent, the character and especially the religious 
needs of the field to be occupied by home mission 
agencies is necessary to a right appreciation of the 
great importance of the task involved in its eultiva- 
tion, and also to arouse that degree of earnest in- 
terest and enthusiasm, which will provide adequate 
equipment for its most effective prosecution. 

The United Lutheran Church has selected the two 
great nations of the United States and Canada as 
its home mission field. The field, therefore, extends 
from the gulf of Mexico to the Arctic circle and 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. It embraces 
a geographical area of 7,336,000 square miles, 
nearly equally divided between the two nations. But 
its superlative importance in the sphere of Chris- 
tian evangelization does not reside in its immense 
territorial area, nor in its boundless material re- 
sources, but in the fact that it is the dwelling place 
of about 116,000,000 immortal souls, whom the Son 
of God came to seek and to save; and in the further, 
most significant and startling fact that of this im- 
mense population, only about fifty-two millions are 
identified with any religious organization. Of this 
number about twenty-nine millions are Protestant 
Christians. About nineteen millions are Roman 

Catholics, including their baptized children. Then 
there are possibly 3,500,000 Jews and approximately 
one million of others who are connected with some 
sort of religious institution. This estimate leaves 
more than 60,000,000 who have not identified them- 
selves with the Christian Church, and are scarcely 
touched by the forces of the saving Gospel or the 
ministries of the Church. They are in a state of 
spiritual illiteracy and religious destitution, well- 


96 OUR CHURCH 


nigh as desperate as the millions in the gloom of 
pagan night. 

In the United States alone, reliable statistics in- 
form us, there are approximately 27,000,000 young 


people under 25 years of age who are not in the 


Sunday schools nor connected with any institution 
where religious instruction is given. In the cities 
which have a population of 8000 or more, in which 
there are now more than 52 per cent. of the popula- 
tion throughout the country at large, and among 


the more than 20,000,000 of our foreign-speaking — 


immigrant population, the most alarming moral con- 
ditions are found. From these various zones of 
spiritual want comes, it may be the silent yet the 
most urgent call for help to prevent their falling 
into a state of utter barbarism. 

The Force. In going forth to meet and over- 
throw the titanic, malign forces that are hostile to 
the Church, to the spread of the Gospel and the 


righteousness of the nation, it is of first importance — 
that our United Lutheran Church, which is honored — 
with a great opportunity and entrusted with a tre- © 
mendous responsibility in the Christianization of 


America, should be adequately equipped effectively 
to accomplish its mighty task. 


We have a great Church of more than 820,000 ~ 
confirmed members, with the splendid asset of — 
nearly two centuries of organized church life in this © 
country, and with a noble record of excellent service — 
in promoting the dissemination of the Gospel and ~ 
preserving our cherished heritage of the trust as it © 


is in Jesus Christ. 


We have a faithful company of 2800 ministers of ‘ 
the Gospel, through whose inspiring leadership this — 





HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 97 


mighty host should be enlisted in our great cam- 
paign for a Christian America. 

We have an adequate administrative and execu- 
tive equipment: 

(a) The general board, composed of 21 men, 
chosen by the Church to plan and direct the work. 

(b) Secretaries and superintendents to carry into 
effect the purposes and decisions of the board and 
to supervise the work in detail. 

(c) Three hundred and fifty missionary pastors 
to whom is committed the ministry of the Gospel 
in new churches, a devoted company of consecrated 
men. 

(d) Last, but not least, we have the splendid com- 
pany of women who are identified with the mission- 
ary societies, which have been most faithful co- 
workers with the board in promoting the success of 
the task of home land evangelization. 

Our Finances. Our Church has authorized an 
apportioned annual budget of $475,000 for the sup- 
port of the home mission cause. 

If this entire amount were contributed it would 
not be sufficient to meet the urgent needs. The 
_ work, constantly enlarging with the growth of our 
_ population, is an increasingly costly one. With the 
rapid shifting of population from one locality to 
another, with the establishment of new settlements 
on the frontier, with the tremendous growth of our 
urban population, the problem becomes more per- 
plexing and stupendous in regard both to the life 
of the nation and the work of the Church. Besides 
the apportioned budget there are several other 
sources of income from churches and individual 
members. 


98 OUR CHURCH 


The Fruitage. ‘‘By their fruits, ye shall know 
them.’’ Measured by that rule, we are fully justi- 
fied in concluding that the results of organized home 
mission and church extension effort in our Church, 
as regards both character and extent, have been 
most satisfactory. This work has been most effec- 
tive in enlarging the bounds of our Church, in de- 
veloping its strength and in multiplying its agencies 
for service. The history of the planting and growth 
of the Christian Church in America is, to a large 
extent, a history of home missions. 


Since the day of small beginnings one hundred 
and eighty-two years ago, when with his inspiring 
slogan, ‘‘Heclesia Plantanda,’’ the Patriarch Muh- 
lenberg, far-visioned, devoted pioneer home mis- 
sionary, began the gigantic task of planting the 
Church of our precious faith among its scattered 
members in the wilderness of the Atlantic seaboard, 
until this hour, under the guiding hand and foster- 
ing care of home missions, our Church has traversed 
the continent. And now, behold the excellent re- 
sults, churches, colleges, seminaries, agencies of 
mercy and charity, which have rendered invaluable 
service to multitudes and trained millions of souls 
for Christian service. 

Beyond the Mississippi eight synods have been ~ 
organized out of the nearly four hundred churches 
planted by home missions. Throughout the great 
middle west and other sections of our mission field 
the foundations of our Church were laid by faithful 
missionaries under the auspices of home missions. 

Hspecially striking and most gratifying have been — 
the achievements of home missions in the cities of 
our nation. In the earlier days of home mission 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 99 


endeavor the vast frontier was regarded as the 
peculiar field for the missionary. Half a century 
ago the cities sent forth a cry for help in the plant- 
ing and strengthening of the Church in their grow- 
ing municipalities. Since then home mission work 
in the city has constantly become more imperative, 
and has received augmented support, so that in 
these later years our Church has made rapid 
progress in the cities. 

The Path Ahead. One of the questions of su- 
preme importance before the Church today is: 
What of the future of home missions in our Lu- 
theran Church? The right answer to this question 
will most vitally affect the future history of our 
Church on the North American continent. 

To minimize home mission activity, to hinder its 
forward movement or to sound a retreat would mean 
incalculable loss to the kingdom of God and to the 
spiritual needs of mankind. Let us reinstate in the 
heart of our Church the inspiring and conquering 
slogan of the heroic Muhlenberg: ‘‘Kcclesia 
Plantanda!’’ 

Our Church, our nation, the world challenges us 
to the holy crusade of home missions. 


Northwestern Missions 


To the Board of Northwestern Missions is en- 
trusted the care and development of the German 
and German-Hnglish missions of our Church. 

The mission field, synodically and geographically, 
includes parts of the Canada synod in Ontario and 
Quebec; the Manitoba synod in Manitoba, Saskatche- 
wan, Alberta, British Columbia and North Dakota; 
the Pacific synod in Oregon and Washington; the 


100 OUR CHURCH 


Wartburg synod in Illinois (chiefly Chicago) and 
Iowa; the German Nebraska synod in Nebraska, 
South Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Okla- 
homa and northern Texas; and the Texas synod in 
the southern and southwestern parts of that state. 
Sixty-eight mission workers are laboring on this 
vast territory: the general secretary, three synodi- 
cal mission superintendents and sixty-four mission- 
ary pastors. They are in charge of 64 parishes, 
with 22 congregations and 20 preaching stations, 
with a total membership of about 7000 communi- 
ecants and 12,500 souls. 

Mission work among German-speaking Lutherans 
in the United States and Canada is necessary. If 
our United Lutheran Church were to neglect this 
work other denominations, which are only too will- 
ing to send German missionaries to these people, 
would win them over to their own churches and 
entirely away from the Lutheran Church. More- 
over, this work is successful, as is evidenced by the 
history of the German synods and by the existence 
of many self-supporting and flourishing congrega- 
tions in the mission fields. Though usually German 
in the beginning the work gradually becomes bi- 
lingual. Most of the missions are now using both 
languages in their services and will ultimately — 
become English. 

The prospects of German mission work are 
bright, particularly in Canada, where under the 
auspices of the government and the Canadian Pa- 
cific railroad a Lutheran immigration board lately 
has been formed, and earnest efforts are being made 
to bring German settlers to Canada in large 
numbers. 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 101 


The financial support of the work of this board 
has been inadequate for the last three years. The 
income has been about $30,000 annually. More than 
$50,000 are needed. The board, therefore, cannot 
undertake new work and has lost two very promis- 
ing fields because of its financial inability to occupy 
them. 


Mission Work Among Immigrants 


The administration of mission work among immi- 
grants is divided into three parts: Slav and Hun- 
garian, Italian, Finnish. Hach department is under 
the direction of a superintendent. 


It is the function of the Immigrants Mission 
Board to carry on, superintend and promote the 
work of home missions among foreign-born people 
and their descendants, and to make of these people 
good, loyal citizens under the government and insti- 
tutions of the land in which they now enjoy life, 
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 


The newer immigration comes from southern and 
eastern Hurope and consists predominantly of the 
Slav and Italian groups of nationalities. These 
immigrants do not assimilate as readily with the 
native American stock as those of former periods 
of immigration, because of their different ante- 
cedent background with respect to political, social 
and religious customs and habits. Another marked 
characteristic of the newer immigration is their in- 
clination to go to the industrial centers of our coun- 
try, while the older immigration from northern 
Europe established itself in the vast agricultural 
domain of America. 


102 OUR CHURCH 


Slav and Hungarian Department. This depart- 
ment is in charge of a superintendent appointed by 
the board. Mission activity first began among the 
Slav group in 1904 in the regions of the Pennsyl- 
vania coal mines. The Slovaks have a larger per 
cent. of Lutherans than any other group. After the 
failure of the board to induce ordained ministers 
from the Church in Hungary to come to America it 
adopted the policy of preparing an American minis- 
try. Since the inauguration of this policy fifty 
young men have received financial aid as students 
in Lutheran colleges and theological seminaries and 
twenty-five of these have been ordained to the office 
of the holy ministry. The following nationalities 
have been represented among these students: Slo- 
vaks, Hungarians, Letts, Siebenburgers, Slovenians 
and Lithuanians. The Slav and Hungarian depart- 
ment now ministers to eight different racial groups, 
scattered throughout the United States, including a 
few Polish Lutherans, for whom as yet there are 
no pastors, and some Assyrians in Philadelphia. 
There are sixty organized congregations. Local 
pastors frequently serve neighboring mission 
points. In addition there are fifty places where 
services are conducted at times by the superin- 
tendent, who travels from coast to coast ministering ~ 
to scattered and shepherdless groups of believers. 
The board is training a young lady as a deaconess 
to serve among Slovak people. 

Italian Department. Italians in America are 
open-minded and receptive to the Gospel of Christ. 
Many are seeking enlightenment in Protestant 
churches, because they are dissatisfied with the 
religious domination of the Roman Catholic Church. 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 103 


The United Lutheran Church has Italian missions 
in Monessen, Philadelphia and Hrie, Pa., and is 
starting work at three other points. In Monessen 
there are 4000 Italians. In two and a half years 
69 adults were received into the mission, which now 
has a baptized membership of 79 and an active com- 
municant membership of 56. This mission sorely 
needs a church building. 


The Philadelphia mission, started by the late Mrs. 
Hi. R. Cassaday, is now served by a missionary and 
an experienced and efficient staff of workers. 


The Erie mission is making rapid progress. 
Through the aid of the Lutheran churches in Erie 
it secured a chapel and parish house. The chapel 
cost $12,000 and seats 250 persons. Services are 
conducted in the Italian and English languages. 
The language used in Sunday schools is Knglish. 
The congregation has been organized under the 
name of Holy Trinity Italian Evangelical Lutheran 
Church. The pastor is the superintendent of the 
Italian department. He has started a second mis- 
sion in Hrie. One of the young men of this congre- 
gation has applied for financial assistance as a 
theological student. The board is supporting three 
theological students, who had advanced far enough 
in their studies to be given work during the summer 
at mission points. 


Finnish Department. Work among Finns is con- 
ducted jointly with the Finnish Suomi Synod, which 
pays half of the expenses. The superintendent is 
a member of that synod. An excellent report of this 
department may be found in the minutes of the 
Buffalo convention of the United Lutheran Church. 


104 OUR CHURCH 
West Indies Mission Work 


The West Indies Mission Board grew out of a 
combination of two former boards: the Board of 
Missions for Porto Rico and Latin-America, which 
had its beginning in 1898 after the American forces 
occupied Porto Rico during the war with Spain, and 
the Board for the Care of the Lutheran Churches 
in the Virgin Islands. 

When the United States purchased the Danish 
West Indies the Government declined to become re- 
sponsible for the churches and parsonages of the 
Danish National Church. In 1917, a committee from 
these Lutheran churches came to the United States 
and appealed for aid to continue the work which 
had been begun by the Danes in 1666. The work 
was accordingly accepted by our Church in America 
in order to preserve these Lutheran outposts. 

The West Indies Mission Board, with twenty-one 
members, was created at the organization of the 
United Lutheran Church and given a field covering 
the West Indies and the territory adjoining; namely, 
Central America, The Canal Zone and Mexico; and 
later the convention at Washington authorized it 
to care for all West Indians and Spaniards in the 
United States, and make a survey with reference © 
to work among our colored population. 

The missionaries in these fields number six or- 
dained ministers, four deaconesses, five women 
missionaries from the States, twelve native preach- 
ers and eight native women helpers and kinder- 
garten teachers. There are nineteen organized con- 
geregations, with ten mission stations and twenty- 
seven Sunday schools. The present enrollment is 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 105 


2032 confirmed members, with 2400 children in the 
Sunday schools. 

The property, especially in the Virgin Islands, is 
very valuable, due to the fact that the Danish Na- 
tional Church handed over all its holdings. This 
property is appraised at $209,000. The property in 
Porto Rico, acquired by the self-sacrificing gifts of 
the American Church, is valued at over $95,000, and 
the West Indians’ Church in New York City cost 
$57,000, making a total valuation of $361,000. 

The work of the board goes beyond that of the 
proclamation of the Gospel, inasmuch as it is sup- 
porting two homes for sick and neglected babies, 
a great necessity where 75 per cent. of the births 
are illegitimate; an orphanage for girls, an insti- 
tution for the training of native Christian workers, 
kindergartens and an industrial work for the 
support of the poor. 

The work among the West Indians in New York 
City, both in English and Spanish, has been mak- 
ing remarkable progress. In three years a flourish- 
ing congregation of West Indians, numbering 360 
members in good standing, has been established. 
Most urgent calls are coming to the board today 
from Santo Domingo and Mexico, where only 
recently Protestant work has been permitted. 


Jewish Missions 


The Jewish Mission Committee is doing mission 
work among a non-Christian people, who live in our 
professedly Christian country. To the Jews as a 
people its chief mission is witness-bearing. It en- 
deavors to induce the converts to unite with existing 


106 OUR CHURCH 


Lutheran congregations in their respective neigh- 
borhoods. 

At the Buffalo Convention in 1922 the Jewish 
Mission Committee reported twelve adult baptisms 
during the biennium. Additional baptisms have 
taken place since that time. God is blessing the 
work. Four missions have been established: Pitts- 
burgh in 1906, Philadelphia. 1917, Baltimore 1919 
and Toledo 1922. 


Jewish Missionaries. In the Pittsburgh mission 
a young Jew was brought to the foot of the cross 
by our first missionary who was himself a convert 
from Judaism to Christianity. This young Jew was 
educated in the schools of our Church. Then he 
spent seven years in a pastorate. For the last six 
years he has been the Jewish missionary in Phila- 
delphia. 

A promising young convert, who had taken a 
course in theology at Chicago, on a journey through 
several eastern states became acquainted with our 
Philadelphia missionary. He was persuaded to 
enter the Lutheran mission work Bud is now our 
Baltimore missionary. | 


The Norwegian Lutheran Church conducts a Jew- 
ish mission in Chicago. One of its converts was - 
sent to our Chicago Theological Seminary. For 
several years he labored as successor of his spiritual 
father in the Chicago mission. Today he is our 
missionary at Toledo. 


A Philadelphia convert was sent as a special stu- 
dent to the Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. 
At the meeting of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania 
in 1923 he was ordained and placed in charge of the 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 107 


Philadelphia mission. The Philadelphia missionary 
is about to open a mission in New York. 

Five ordained Jewish missionaries, every one a 
convert. This is the outstanding achievement of 
Jewish missions in The United Lutheran Church in 
America. 


The Women’s Missionary Society 


The aim of this society is threefold: To dissemi- 
nate missionary information; to promote the mis- 
sionary spirit, especially among women and chil- 
dren; financially to aid the Church in its various 
activities by co-operating with its boards. The soci- 
ety appoints two advisory members of each board 
to whose support it contributes. 

The total membership of the society is 81,108. 
The congregational societies, including women’s, 
young women’s and children’s organizations, 
number 2546 in 36 synods. 

Forty-four missionaries are supported in North 
America. Porto Rico, the Virgin Islands, India, 
Japan, Liberia and South America are the foreign 
fields in which 57 women missionaries are serving 
in schools, hospitals, institutions of mercy, Bible 
teaching and industrial education. 

The financial report for the year 1922-23 indicates 
to what extent the society’s co-operation reaches out 
in all directions of Church activity. It shows 
expenditures as follows: 


TORE EAPO METS Ma S Sia aiclels's ss tse cha.s civics sis ghee eeue tee $200,153.40 
PUOUIGN PE ISBID MS ied Sucks AAG. + clei slelald de e'e od vuole olele o dheleiele'h ote 70,272.75 
SOME VIRGO TR CO eal sn al Ob abs: \'ol's carp co apd <inieusion dia Ayan sae 150.00 
UPAR MY ENE IMELOTIO Tip), s) cina.s s o,s % ss we 4 eyole on) ciple iay iyo ae 6,000.00 


WVGMUCATICIOG HEINSION icles ate nogata s phs e 4d eb nc se sw bales Bolas 5,247.50 


108 OUR CHURCH 


TG AMERLION ic0 5). hi siereSbnlmlelerd soni eee ee odes ola in a ehel etoile Se ee 4,480.19 
Disnisterial Helieg ss ‘sisis sets bee easels, ot ose a tienes ta elena eee 5,000.00 
wowinn | MISSION’ ssc ess che Wriate bee w skates cir 9 \tauregie rae 1,155.00 

COLA] A ists Whe ie ni aie Ohana IRM ate Bes \y wtp (hel pede Sag aieeuenaaets $292,458.84 


During the past two years the society has dili- 
gently and effectively cultivated the intelligent co- 
operation of its membership by the publication and 
distribution of 22,874 books, leaflets and copies of 
its monthly magazine, Lutheran Woman’s Work. 

There should be a woman’s missionary society in 
every congregation. 


Il. HEpucationan Work 
The Board of Education 


There is no question more vital to the life and 
erowth of the Church and to the future of Chris- 
tianity than that of the influences which shape the 
thought and character of the young men and women 
when they pass from the home and the home Church 
into the schools of higher learning. Especially is 
this the case since the colleges and universities, 
which are not in some sense responsible to the 
Church, cannot be depended upon in the matter of 
religious education. This is why the United Lu- 
theran Church regards Christian education as one ~ 
of its major concerns. 

The Board of Education carries out the program 
for Christian education approved by the United 
Lutheran Church. 

The objectives are to promote the general educa- 
tional interests of the Church, to conserve the re- 
ligious life of the students in the educational insti- 
tutions of the Church, in state universities and in 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 109 


other schools; to stimulate the supply of candidates 
for the ministry; to administer the work of minis- 
terial education for co-operating synods, and to 
render financial aid to educational institutions. 

The board functions through five departments: 
lixecutive, Institutions, Recruiting, Universities 
and Women Students. 

Department of Institutions. This department is 
striving for a united, powerful, deliberately planned 
process for perfecting the higher educational sys- 
tem of the Church through the twenty-eight exist- 
ing institutions and is co-operating with synods in 
the establishment of new schools. It gives itself to 
a careful study of the problems of all institutions, 
as concerns their territory, constituency and the 
general requirements of the Church. 


Our Church’s investment in these institutions 
represents an equipment valued at $9,000,000, en- 
dowment $5,510,499 and annual expense budget of 
$944,423. These institutions have a student enroll- 
ment of 5323. They have given to the Church 87 
per cent. of its ministers, 93 per cent. of its mis- 
sionaries and a multitude of capable, cultured, 
Christian men and women. 


Department of Recrmting. This department 
seeks to lead the sons of the Church into a respon- 
sive attitude toward the call of God to the Gospel 
ministry. In doing this it uses as recruiting 
grounds the congregation, the home, Sunday school, 
young people’s societies, brotherhoods, high schools, 
academies and colleges, and is effectively recruit- 
ing candidates for the ministry at these sources of 


supply. 


110 OUR CHURCH 


For the same purpose missions are annually con- 
ducted by this department in all of our mstitutions. 
The department is in communication with 8000 boys 
and young men and also corresponding with their 
parents. It also has promoted in many instances 
life work conferences, father and son suppers, 
ministerial clubs and other group agencies that are 
designed to encourage decisions for life work dedi- 
cated to Christian leadership. 

This department, with the co-operation of the 
University and Women’s Departments, urges an 
appeal for life enlistment for full-time Christian 
service in connection with the Day of Prayer for 
Colleges. 

Unwersity Department. The Department of 
State Universities and other schools is responsible 
for ministering to Lutheran students attending col- 
leges and normal schools not under the control of 
the Church. In these institutions there are more 
Lutheran students enrolled than in our own Church 
colleges. The aim is ‘‘The fellowship of a Lutheran 
congregation for every Lutheran student.’’ 

The Board of Education through this department 
renders assistance to synods and congregations in 
discharging their responsibilities to the students in | 
their territory. It is in touch with the Lutheran ~ 
students in every university, college and state or 
provincial normal school in the United States and — 
Canada. Over one hundred pastors in centers © 
where universities, colleges or normal schools are 
located are being assisted. The field has been di- 
vided into ten regions, each in charge of an experi- 
enced pastor who is familiar with local student and — 
synodical conditions within the regions. . 





HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 111 


In many places Lutheran students’ associations 
have been formed. Their activities are outlined in 
this program: 


Worship together on the Lord’s Day, partake of 
Holy Communion together at least twice during the 
school year and be faithful in daily private devotion. 


Study the Bible and Missions together at least 
six weeks twice during the school year. 


Serve in the local congregation, in the campus 
Christian Association, in community welfare and 
contribute to some fund for the general work of 
the Church. 


Meet at least four times each school year for 
social purposes and for the consideration of. common 
problems. 


Send representatives to an annual conference of 
Lutheran students, contribute toward the expenses 
of the regional association and take part in the gen- 
eral activities of the Lutheran Student Association 
of America. 


The Board of Education has issued a Lutheran 
Student Bulletin for several years past, which 
reached an edition of twelve thousand copies. The 
- Lutheran Student Association of America is issu- 
ing the periodical this year, entitled, ‘‘The Big 
Inkwell.’’ 


Department For Women Students. This depart- 
ment is closely correlated with the other depart- 
ments of the board. It is concerned with women 
students attending women’s colleges, coeducational 
institutions, denominational, independent or state, 
and Lutheran schools and colleges. In so far as 


112 OUR CHURCH 


women students are concerned the work of the sec- 
retary for women students is supplementary to that 
of the other secretaries of the board, to that of 
regional student secretaries and to that of student 
pastors. 

The aim of the department is to meet students 
in groups and in person on all campuses where our 
Church is strongly represented. In the four years 
since the department was organized 179 different 
eroups of students in 21 states have been visited 
once and 132 groups have been visited twice or 
oftener. Such a large number of colleges could not 
have been visited except for the service of a second 
secretary, which in part has been made possible by 
the generosity of the women’s missionary societies 
of the New York and New England Synod and of 
the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. 

With the Women’s Missionary Society of the 
United Lutheran Church this department maintains 
close relation. Two members appointed by the ex- 
ecutive board of the society act on the committee 
for women students in the Board of Education. A 
liberal amount of money is annually budgeted by 
the executive board of the society for the use of 
this department. As the secretary for women stu- 
dents is a member of the candidate committee of 


the Women’s Missionary Society, she is able to in- — 


terview and enlist for foreign service student volun- 
teers and other young women on college campuses. 


For groups met personally and for students iso- — 
lated from their Church by direct contact or by | 
literature especially prepared, the Department for © 
Women Students and the Universities Department — 


especially endeavor: 


ad ee 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 113 


To interpret the Church to the students by bring- 
ing such information concerning its program as will 
arouse and develop an intelligent interest. 

To challenge and assist students to assume their 
full share in carrying on the work of Christ by pre- 
paring for specific tasks in the Church at home and 
abroad. 

To help students strengthen their spiritual lives 
for larger influence on the campus and greater 
influence in the Church of the future. 

The Annual Day of Prayer for Colleges. The 
Board of Education, through all its departments, 
summons the Church to an observance of the Day 
of Prayer for colleges and students the last Sunday 
in February annually, and appeals for full-time life 
enlistment. 


Parish and Church School Board 


To develop systems of literature for use in the 
schools of the Church and to provide religious ma- 
terial for educational use in the home, the United 
Lutheran Church has constituted the Parish and 
Church School Board. This board organizes schools 
for week-day Christian training, plans and directs 
Vacation Bible Schools, provides literature and 
plans courses and methods for Sunday schools and 
for schools of week-day instruction. Methods of 
administration, the planning of programs for sum- 
mer assemblies, the organization of synodical, con- 
ference and local Sunday school institutes, and all 
similar gatherings for educational work are to be 
euided and directed by the board. 

The selection of books for libraries, the prepara- 
tion of festival services, programs and hymnals 


114 OUR CHURCH 


which are intended for the training of the youth of 
the Church come under the supervision of this 
board, which is also to have oversight and control 
of whatever relates to the best interests of the 
parish program as far as it pertains to schools and 
educational plans. 

The board consists of twelve members, of whom 
three are laymen. The executive committee is com- 
posed of the officers of the board and two appoited 
members. 

Sunday School Instruction. The board has out- 
lined a course of instruction for Sunday schools 
which includes a complete Lutheran graded course 
based upon the international lesson schedule. This 
official primary course includes three grades: 
Wonderland, Workland and Pictureland. The in- 


termediate Lutheran graded course includes the fol- — 


lowing: Bible Story, Bible Readings, Bible History, 
Bible Facts and Scenes, Bible Biography, Bible 
Teachings and Bible Outline, each being a one-year 
text. Parallel to this is the intermediate uniform 


course, for which the Augsburg Junior and Inter- | 
mediate Lesson Books are provided. There is but — 


one senior course, the Augsburg Senior Lesson | 
Book and the Augsburg Adult Bible Class Lesson — 
Book. For the use of teachers, there is provided ~~ 


the Augsburg Teacher and the Lutheran Lesson 
Commentary. 
For all interested in the problems and methods 


| 
| 


of modern religious education, the board publishes 


a quarterly magazine called The Parish and Church — 


School. 


Week-Day and Vacation Bible Schools. For - 
week-day schools a handbook and an ‘‘Outline of — 





HOW ITS WORK IS DONE #15 


Courses,’’ also a textbook called the ‘‘Junior Class 
Manual,’’ have been prepared. Special plans are 
being developed with a view to an adequate equip- 
ment for all week-day and vacation Bible Schools. 

A complete home department literature is fur- 
nished, and many catechetical helps are already 
in existence and are recommended for use in 
instruction. 

The board is preparing new hymnals, which are 
designed for the use of the children of the Church 
in order to prepare them for intelligent use of the 
services of the Church. 

Field secretaries are provided for under the 
charter and, as means and opportunity make it pos- 
sible, this board will direct and supervise the edu- 
cational work in the synods, conferences and con- 
eregations. Even now, through its editors and 
secretaries, it is able to give much personal and 
active assistance. 

Superintendents, pastors, conference and synodi- 
eal officers are urged to consult this board through 
its officers in order that progress may be made 
toward unifying, systematizing and developing the 
educational program of congregations under the 
active direction of the Parish and Church School 
Board. 


The Board of Publication 


When our Lord was about to ascend into heaven, 
He gave one general function to every believer, 
‘‘Ye shall be witnesses unto me.’’ One phase of 
giving testimony was by preaching, and one style 
of preaching was distinguished by a Greek word, 
which we translate as proclaiming, heralding, pub- 


116 OUR CHURCH 


lishing. This particular term reflects an authorized 
person, who transmits a message given him. These 
heralds were frequently bearers of communications 
that were written and that could be ‘‘published.”’ 
Authenticity, communication across distances 
greater than the carrying power of the voice, assur- 
ance of accurate transmission and permanence were 
accomplished by sending the written word. The 
scope of distributing the Gospel was also extended. 
Thus Paul by a letter first gave his witness to the 
Church at Rome, and in the course of fifty years 
what we have as the New Testament was inscribed 
on papyrus or parchment, so as to reach all the 
places of missionary effort. Thus, writing became 
the servant of the Gospel, of different but of equal 
value with the spoken testimony. The invention of 
printing was an epochal forward step, and when 
Gutenberg in 1453 provided ‘‘movable type’’ he 
contributed an inestimable advantage to the exten- 
sion of the knowledge of the truth recorded by 
Scripture and used by mankind. Today the Bible 
is printed in more languages and in more numerous 
copies than any other extant book. There is a pro- 
portionate circulation of ‘‘studies,’’ comments, 


essays, illustrations, pamphlets and periodicals that - 


deal with religion. 


A Business Enterprise. The Middle Ages had 
to be content with ‘‘hand-made’’ copies of books 
dealing with religion. The production of most of 
these volumes occupied the time of men and women 
in monasteries and nunneries. But the modern art 
of printing was a business craft from the begin- 
ning. Luther, Calvin, Erasmus, their contempo- 
raries and successors depended on ‘‘publishers.’’ 


i a 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE ayy 


Manuscripts are prepared by authors, and thence 
set up in type, made up in pages, grouped into 
forms, printed on presses, bound and distributed by 
mail or by sale. Thus, one phase of putting a mes- 
sage into contact with men is purely commercial; 
books and papers are commodities similar to 
groceries, clothes and machinery. But particular 
objectives often modify the pure commercialism of 
literary production. It may be advantageous to be- 
come independent of competitive business ways of 
production and channels of marketing. The objec- 
tives that lead to establishing a particular publish- 
ing house or plant are the need of control, escape 
from large remunerative profits and a distinctive 
policy that seeks to provide particular kinds of 
printed books and periodicals. Such adaptation of 
publication to special objectives has been adopted 
by The United Lutheran Church in America, which 
assigns the stewardship of the use of print to a 
chartered Board of Publication. This it controls 
by determining the principles of its constitution 
and by electing the twenty-one trustees who con- 
stitute the board. A report to the biennial conven- 
tions of the Church is required and the board is 
subject to instruction along the lines set forth in 
the constitution. 

Publications Required. Books, pamphlets and 
periodicals comprise the major forms of serving 
the Church and its operations by printed matter. 
Bibles are purchased through the board, but they 
are really printed by firms that specialize in pro- 
ducing the Scriptures. Next in importance to the 
Bible are hymn books and Sunday school books. 
The contents of these are prepared by specially 


118 OUR CHURCH 


designated committees of theologians and musicians, 
who give months of time to a careful selection of 
forms of worship, poems and parts of Scripture 
expressive of devotion and proper chants and melo- 
dies. Then the ‘‘service books”’’ are given the Board 
of Publication for printing and distribution. Sun- 
day school literature is edited by men designated 
by the Parish and Church School Board, but their 
mechanical production and ‘‘marketing’’ is done by 
the Publication House. 


Theological books are of two classes; professional 
and popular. The first are required for teachers 
and students in schools that produce our trained 
ministry and conserve sound learning. To this 
eroup belong also collections of sermons, books and 
pamphlets dealing with current religious questions 
and methods, and studies in history and doctrine. 
These the pastors must have in order to keep abreast 
of their times in caring for the intellectual, moral 
and spiritual welfare of their flocks. Professional 
books are often expensive to produce and the de- 
mand for them is limited. They would not be attrac- 
tive to other than a publication house established 
by the Church for its greater efficiency. 


Popular books are written for circulation among 
the laity of the Church and for general reading. 
Of these, there is a constantly growing list, of which 
the authors are talented members of the Lutheran 
Church. They relate Christian truths and Christian 
experiences in language free from technical theo- 
logical terms, or they furnish biographies of noted 
men and women, or they adopt fiction as a means 
to convey the influences of Christianity. 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 119 


Tracts and pamphlets are published in order to 
discuss briefly special activities of the Church and 
its various boards, or to set forth true versus false 
views of current questions, or to provide a means 
of spreading information and appeal for the exten- 
sion of the kingdom of our Lord. 

Periodicals are weekly or less frequent journals, 
for which issuance has been authorized by the 
United Lutheran Church or its boards. These are 
of the classes, congregational, Sunday school and 
the young people. 

In the first group are The Lutheran and Luther- 
ischer Herold, which are printed to inform the 
membership of the Church as to current news and 
activities week by week. The chief Sunday school | 
periodical is Lutheran Young Folks, a story paper 
with a well-written editorial department. Lutheran 
Boys and Girls is also a weekly periodical whose 
class of readers is indicated by its title. Jugend 
Freund is a similar journal in German. 

The Board of Publication has a large eight-story 
building in Philadelphia, which houses the offices of 
the publication business and a fine equipment of 
modern printing machinery. There are also head- 
quarters and branch houses in Columbia, S. C.; 
Chicago, Ill.; Pittsburgh, Pa., and New York City. 

While there has been a great expansion in the 
use of print in the service of religion during the 
past fifty years, appreciation of books, pamphlets 
and periodicals in the service of the Church is much 
less than it should be. Pastors and members have 
not given just valuation to reading in the service 
of the kingdom of Christ and they underestimate 
the adverse influences of secular, commercially dis- 


120 OUR CHURCH 


tributed books and periodicals. A sincere study of 
what can be done with the printed page to offset 
secularism and to implant religious truths is an 
obligation upon all the churches. 


Committee on Church Papers 


One of the important committees, like the incor- 
porated boards, is elected by the United Lutheran 
Church, because its responsibility as an educational 
agency is very great and far-reaching. It is the 
standing committee on Church papers. 

The by-laws define the duties of this committee 
of nine members to be the selection of editors of 
such Church papers as the United Lutheran Church — 
may recognize, authorize or found. The commit- 
tee’s selections are reported for ratification to the 
conventions of the Church. The salaries of the edi- 
tors are determined by this committee and the — 
Board of Publication jointly. The committee exer- — 
cises general oversight of the papers in order that | 
they may be conducted in accordance with the spirit | 
and intent of the constitution in the interest of the — 
United Lutheran Church and for the edification of — 
the people. The Church papers now under its super- — 
vision are The Lutheran and Lutherischer Herold. — 


The Laymen’s Movement 


The Laymen’s Movement is an organization that — 
has been developed in the Church by laymen who 
are convinced that the stability and future develop- 
ment of our nation and civilization are inseparably 
associated with a strong, well organized and ade- 
quately financed Church teaching a positive Chris-— 
tianity. | 





HOW ITS WORK IS DONE naa! 


The present organization is the outgrowth of the 
Laymen’s Missionary Movement. 


The constitution provides for a membership of 
five hundred laymen throughout the United States. 
Membership is conditioned upon a vital interest in 
the progress and work of the Church and a willing- 
ness to assist in financing the work for a period 
of years. 

The work of the association is under the direction 
of an Executive Committee of twenty-five members. 
This committee and the Executive Board of the 
United Lutheran Church appoint an Administrative 
Committee, which directs the work of the Move- 
ment between the semi-annual meetings of the Eix- 
ecutive Committee. The field work is carried on by 
a general secretary and associate secretaries. 

The Buffalo Convention of the United Lutheran 
Church laid upon the organization the responsibility 
of cultivating stewardship among the members of 
the Church. 

The movement is fulfilling its commission in three 
ways: 


1. An educational program in stewardship is being 
presented in the various synods. Information 
concerning our various activities in many parts 
of the world is being distributed through ad- 
dresses by ministers and the secretaries of the 
Laymen’s Movement. The addresses are supple- 
mented by means of educational charts and mov- 
ing pictures. The study of the stewardship of 
inner values and material possessions is being 
undertaken in the Summer Assemblies and ought 
to be carried into the individual congregations. 


123 OUR CHURCH 


2. The fact that there are so many parishes without 
pastors has commanded the attention of men who 
appreciate the value of the Church in a com- 
munity. The movement is helping finance the 
education of a number of young men who are 
preparing for the ministry. In addition, men are 
being assisted who are preparing to serve as 
ministers, teachers or physicians in the foreign 
mission fields. 

3. One of the great tasks of the movement is im- 
proving Church finance. The annual, simulta- 
neous every-member canvass has been one of the 
most efficient methods that has been developed 
for providing funds for the maintenance of the 
Church and of locating new members for the con- 
gregation. The task of organizing this canvass 
and introducing in the churches the associated 
features, the budget, duplex envelope, quarterly 
statements and simple forms of accounting sys- 
tems has been assigned to the laymen. 


The completion of this threefold task calls for 
persistent and organized effort. Whatever measure 
of success is attained means much for the best 
interests of the Church. 


The Luther League of America 


The Luther League of America is the official 
young people’s organization of The United Lu- 
theran Church in America. Its membership is 
defined in its constitution as follows: 

‘‘Any young people’s society of whatever name 
connected with a congregation or institution in the 
United Lutheran Church in America and all district 





HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 123 


and synodical organizations whose membership 
shall have been recommended by the executive com- 
mittee are entitled to active membership. 

‘‘Any Lutheran young people’s society connected 
with a congregation or institution not affiliated with 
the United Lutheran Church in America shall be 
eligible to associate membership, and its delegates 
be entitled to all privileges, with the exception of 
holding office or membership in the executive com- 
mittee.’’ 

The objects as defined in its constitution are as 
follows: 

‘‘The objects of this League shall be to encourage 
the formation of young people’s societies in all con- 
gregations in the United Lutheran Church in 
America, to stimulate Christian activity and to 
foster the spirit of loyalty to the Church through 
education, missions, life service. 

The League operates through five departments: 
Kducation, Missionary, Life Service, Intermediate 
and Junior. Hach department is headed by a secre- 
tary, who is assisted by a committee. 

The Department of Education has three sub- 
departments: Bible Study, Topic Study, Reading 
_ Courses. 

The Intermediate Department aims to minister 
to the boys and girls of the ages twelve to sixteen 
years, inclusive. It has declared in favor of sepa- 
rate organizations for boys and girls, but where 
conditions demand a joint organization is endorsed. 
The distinctiveness of the early adolescent period 
warrants this age unit. Weekly topics are provided 
for devotional meetings and are arranged to express 
the fourfold activities of the department: Devo- 


124. OUR CHURCH. 


tional, educational, physical, social. The relation- 
ship of the spiritual to all four departments is 
constantly stressed. 

The department has a carefully graded recogni- 
tion system and registers the progress from one 
rank to another until promotion into the Senior 
League. There are also registration certificates 
and reading courses. 

The Junior Department includes the children up 
to twelve years of age, and is a preparation period 
for the Intermediate Department, through the 
study of topics, reading courses, the holding of 
rallies and conventions. 

The children are trained in a knowledge and use 
of the Bible; in the principles and history of the 
Church and her institutions; missionary education, 
giving and service; and in the conduct of meetings 
and leadership principles. Weekly topics are pro- 
vided and reading courses arranged. 


The Brotherhood 


Under the direction of a committee appointed by 
the United Lutheran Church the Brotherhood has 
as its object the spiritual, intellectual and social 


development of men in the Church. While vitally — 


interested in every department of church activity, 
its special field of service is Christian education in 
its varied phases. The programs of its monthly 
meetings are educational and inspirational. 

In its studies it aims to promote church love and 
loyalty by helping men to know what the Church is 
and to stimulate to church activity by giving men a 
vision of its great fields of work. 


i ii li Me 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 125 


Though the scope of Brotherhood activities is as 
wide as the needs of the Church, its first obligation 
is the work of the local congregation. It always 
keeps before its men some definite object for which 
to work and give. It is building a dormitory for 
our boys’ school in Japan. In hundreds of congre- 
gations it is helping to organize and conduct the 
every-member canvass for funds with which all our 
missionary and benevolent boards will do their 
work. 

Recent minutes of the synods of the United Lu- 
theran Church report men’s. organizations in over 
one thousand congregations, embracing about fifty 
thousand men. Our thirty-eight hundred congre- 
gations, with their three hundred thousand men, is 
the field of opportunity the Brotherhood aims to 
cultivate. 


Standing Comnuttees. 


Many of the activities of the United Lutheran 
Church are under the direction of standing com- 
mittees and commissions which are appointed by 
the President. Most of these have an educational 
function and for this reason they are placed here. 

The Common Service Book Committee. All mat- 
ters pertaining to the worship of the Church are 
referred to this committee. It is responsible for 
the Common Service Book, with respect to text and 
form in all editions. It prepares forms and 
manuals of devotion, and considers such other 
matters as may be referred to it by the Church. 

This committee prepared the Common Service 

Book and Hymnal. It prepared the Canadian edi- 
tion of the same, making the necessary changes in 


126 OUR CHURCH 


hymns and prayers. It supervises the translations 
now being made in Telugu, Japanese, Italian and 
Spanish, and the incorporation of portions of the 
Common Service Book in the books of worship of 
other Lutheran bodies in this country. It prepared 
a secondary hymnal, Hymns and Prayers for Church 
Societies and Assemblies. At present it is engaged 
upon a book of forms for family worship. It is 
also co-operating with the Parish and Church School 
Board in the preparation of new hymnals for the 
Sunday school. 

The Committee on Church Music. The work of 
the committee is purely educational. It seeks by 
means of convocations in important Lutheran 
centers to promote the improvement of congrega- 
tional, choir, organ and Sunday school music, and 
thus to exalt the Church’s worship. At these con- 
vocations carefully prepared papers are read, dis- 
cussed and practically illustrated. 

The Committee on Church Music, like the Com- 
mittee on Church Architecture, is composed of 
clergymen and professionals, all of whom have made 
a study of liturgies, hymnology and church musie. 

The Committee on Church Architecture. The 
Committee on Church Architecture wishes to serve 
a twofold purpose: (1) To aid congregations, - 
whether mission or self-supporting, in the selection 
of a capable architect; (2) to review the architect’s 
plans and make any needed suggestions. 

All the lay members of the committee are profes- 
sional architects, and every clerical member has 
eiven the subject of church architecture consider- 
able study and attention. Since its appointment the 
committee has had many plans submitted to it from 





THE MUHLENBERG BUILDING 


Board of Publication Headquarters 
1228-34 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 





a 





“T heard the voice of angels—saying with a loud voice 

Worthy is the Lamb—to receive power and wisdom, and 

riches, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing.” 
Revelation 5: 11-12. 


bd 





HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 127 


all parts of the United Lutheran Church. The com- 
mittee has issued a number of publications which 
can be had for the asking. 

The Committee on Special Lingmstic Interests. 
Appointed after each convention of the United Lu- 
theran Church by the president for the following 
biennium, this committee is authorized to call a 
meeting of the ‘‘ Allgemeine Deutsche Konferenz,”’ 
determine upon all matters that are to be presented 
and to come up for discussion, arrange the program, 
select the speakers and report all resolutions, which 
may require any action by the United Lutheran 
Church, to the secretary, in order that they may 
appear in advance in the printed bulletin of the next 
convention of the United Lutheran Church. 


The Committee on Evangelism. This committee 
has endeavored to work out principles which would 
enable it to present to the Church a sane and scrip- 
tural program which could be called evangelical 
evangelism. Such a program has as its objective 
the intensive, as well as the extensive, development 
of the Church; prevention, as well as reclamation; 
a vitalizing and an energizing of the powers of the 
Church, as well as an enlargement of her forces. It 
aims to extend the Church’s influence, through con- 
eregational activity, into the ‘‘crowd without.’’ It 
aims to redeem, not merely to reform the indi- 
vidual; to regenerate the soul, not merely to recast 
society. 

The Committee on Moral and Social Welfare. 
The work of the Committee on Moral and Social 
Welfare is educational and consists of the prepara- 
tion of material on the great moral and social prob- 
lems of the day for the religious press. Monograms 


128 OUR CHURCH 


in the form of study books on these problems have 
been planned. One of these, ‘‘The Sunday Prob- 
lem,’’ has been published by our United Lutheran 
Publication House and is now on the market. A 
study book on ‘‘The Family’’ is in the course of 
preparation. 

The Committee on Lutheran Brotherhoods. This 
committee has the supervision of the work of 
brotherhoods, which has been treated on a former 
page. 

The Committee on Women’s Work. The Com- 
mittee on Women’s Work is a co-ordinating agency 
of the United Lutheran Church which relates all 
women’s organizations of a general or auxiliary 
character to the Church itself. Up to this time but 
one woman’s organization has come within the com- 
mittee’s sphere of activity; namely, the Women’s 
Missionary Society. 

Working in fullest sympathy with this society and 
its great work the committee occupies an advisory 
position to the end that the organization may al- 
ways function in perfect harmony with the policy 
and constitution of the Church. The committee con- 
stitutes the recognized channel of communication 
between the society and the Executive Board of the 


United Lutheran Church. By courtesy of the Ex- ~ 


ecutive Committee of the society a representative 
of the Committee on Women’s Work is present at 
its meetings and every opportunity is given him to 
keep his committee in touch with the manifold 
operations of the society. 

The Committee on Work Among Boys. The Com- 
mittee on Work Among Boys reviews books and 
other literature suitable for boys, studies the vari- 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 129 


ous organizations for boys and determines their 
value to the work of the Church. It has published 
a booklet on ‘‘How to Conduct a Camp for Boys”’ 
and one on ‘‘How to Conduct Boys’ Conferences.’’ 
It is ready to advise with congregations or synods 
in regard to the development of boys’ work. 

The Committee on Associations of Young People. 
The by-laws of the United Lutheran Church defines 
the duties of this committee as follows: It shall 
co-ordinate and stimulate the young people’s soci- 
eties within the United Lutheran Church so that 
in due time they may be merged into a league of 
Lutheran young people. 

The committee has been instrumental in securing 
the adoption of the Luther League of America by 
the United Lutheran Church as the league of Lu- 
theran young people, whose objectives are educa- 
tion, missions and life service. 

At present the committee is functioning in four 
directions: Keeping the work among young people 
before the United Lutheran Church; stimulating the 
Luther League of America to render its best serv- 
ice; urging the affiliation of all young people’s soci- 
eties with the Luther League of America; offering 
its services to presidents of synods and institutions 
in behalf of young people’s work. 

The Comnuttee on Army and Navy Work. This 
committee maintains connections with all the chap- 
lains in the army and navy who belong to the United 
Lutheran Church. It is endeavoring to arrange for 
Lutheran chaplains in the Reserve Corps to minis- 
ter at all the army posts. It co-operates with the 
general committee on army and navy chaplains in 
the selection of Lutheran chaplains. 


130 OUR CHURCH 


The Statistical and Church Year Book Committee. 
This committee gathers, compiles and reports the 
statistics of the United Lutheran Church and makes 
them available for all desiring such information. | 
It co-operates with the Board of Publication in edit- 
ing and publishing the ‘‘ Year Book.’’ It nominates 
the statistical secretary, elected by the HKixecutive 
Board, and the editor of the ‘‘ Year Book,’’ elected 
by the Board of Publication. 

This committee, furthermore, prepares blanks for 
gathering statistical reports from the congregations 
through the constituent synods, and standard forms 
for records for congregations and synods. 

The Publicity Committee. The work of the Pub- 
licity Committee is mainly in connection with the 
biennial conventions of the Church. Its work has 
been carried out with considerable detail, the pre- 
convention work having been done by the Publicity 
Department of the National Lutheran Council for 
the committee. An outline for a more extensive 
and more continuous publicity service has been 
prepared. 

Archwes. The Archivist of the United Lutheran 
Church is appointed by the President. It is the 
archivist’s duty to care for the original documents, 
charters, protocols, official correspondence, minutes 
and other important historical material, manuscript 
or printed, pertaining to the United Lutheran 
Church or its officers, boards, committees and com- 
missions. The archives are kept in a fireproof vault 
room in the Krauth Memorial Library at the Theo- | 
logical Seminary, Mt. Airy, Philadelphia. | 


The Necrology Committee. The Necrology Com- 
mittee compiles biographical records of the life and 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 131 


labors of every minister and prominent layman in 
the Church. Aided by necrology committees in the 
constituent synods it strives to obtain authentic 
records. 

After Haster of the convention year the chairman 
assigns memoirs, obtained by its corresponding sec- 
retary, to members of the committee for the purpose 
of being reviewed, verified or corrected. During the 
first week of July the committee meets for the pur- 
pose of rereading and adopting all memoranda. 

The recording secretary is required to keep notes 
of all proceedings of the committee, file documents 
and prepare in finished form two volumes of 
memoirs of the deceased, one for preservation in 
the Krauth Memorial Library at Mt. Airy, Phila- 
delphia, Pa., and the other in the library of the 
Gettysburg Theological Seminary. He also pre- 
pares a chart for exhibition at the convention of the 
United Lutheran Church, giving the name of the 
deceased, dates of birth, death and ordination, age, 
length of service and place of burial. He or some- 
one else appointed by the committee prepares the 
report for the biennial convention. 

Representatwe wm Advisory Board of the Amen- 
can Bible Society. The United Lutheran Church is 
represented in the work of the American Bible Soci- 
ety by a member of the advisory board of the 
society. The annual budget of the society totals 
about $1,250,000. The United Lutheran Church has 
placed this society in its budget for $2,500 per 
annum. 

Commissioners to the National Lutheran Council. 
Seven members of the United Lutheran Church are 
appointed to serve as commissioners to represent 


132 OUR CHURCH 


it in the National Lutheran Council, through which 
the larger number of the general bodies of Lu- 
therans in North America co-operate in such activi- 
ties as Kuropean relief and the preservation of Lu- 
theran foreign missions. The Council’s work and 
contacts in Hurope led to the meeting of the Lu- 
theran World Convention at Hisenach, Germany, 
August 19-25, 1923, out of which has come an almost 
universal desire for closer contacts and more in- 
timate co-operation in the work which the Lutheran 
Church in the world is called to do for the kingdom 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Transportation. By making comfortable and eco- 
nomical traveling arrangements to the biennial con- 
ventions the standing committee on transportation 
serves the delegates and visitors in a most accept- 
able manner. 


Til. Mercirrut Work 
Board of Inner Mission 


The Church recognizes the Inner Mission as one 
of the threefold expressions of its life. It is one of 
the most far-reaching and important of our 
activities. | 

What Is The Inner Mission? The purpose of the 
Inner Mission is to demonstrate the universal 
priesthood of believers and to realize the practical 
ideal of primitive Christianity in loving service to 
a needy world. The Church proves her faith by 
her serving love. It is, therefore, the aim of the 
Inner Mission to put the entire so-called laity into 
the Samaritan attitude of vital, personal touch with 
need. The Inner Mission emphasizes the constantly 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 133 


forgotten fact that it is the Church, not pastors and 
deaconesses only, to which is given the commission 
of carrying out Christ’s work upon earth. 

The Ideal In The Congregation. Pastors know, 
at least, in part, what Christian work is waiting to 
be done in their congregations and in the world’s 
life all around the church door. They know also 
that personal love for Jesus’ sake is the one agency 
which can do the work. Not all pastors know that 
workers with love in their hearts are waiting in 
their congregation to be shown the work to be done 
and how to do it. 


Kivery member of a congregation should be en- 
gaged in loving service. That means two things. 
It means, in the first place, that each individual 
should give himself to the domg of at least one 
definite, worthy, regular task in the congregation’s 
life. It means, in the second place, that each Chris- 
tian should go out in daily life as Christ’s servant. 
He must do good, all kinds of good, material and 
spiritual. He must help individuals and groups 
with their social and economic problems by prac- 
tical assistance, as well as spiritual advice. He 
must be Christ’s man in the shop, the labor union, 
the social club, the farm. ‘‘The Most High dwelleth 
not in temples made with hands,’’ but ‘‘Ye are the 
temple of God.’’ 


The United Lutheran Church in America has com- 
mitted the supervision of its Inner Mission activity 
to a board of fifteen members, which employs an 
executive secretary for its executive work. 

Among the many things which the Church does 
through this board are the following: Through 


134 OUR CHURCH 


synodical committees, synods and conferences, to 
develop in every congregation more voluntary, per- 
sonal service; a survey of state and county and 
similar institutions to seek out those who are un- 
eared for spiritually and provide that care through 
our pastors and congregations; the development of 
our present institutions of mercy, and the founding 
of new institutions as need develops; the fostering 
of local Inner Mission societies to care for the local 
merciful activities of our congregations; the prepa- 
ration of helpful literature, particularly the Mes- 
sage for the Day; work among the isolated moun- 
tain people in the South; the care for immigrants 
from the time they decide to come to our country 
until they are definitely made a part of our congre- 
gational life. 


The United Lutheran Church in America is doing 
its merciful work in sixty-four Inner Mission insti- 
tutions or societies. Of this number, thirty-five 
belong to the United Lutheran Church, the remain- 
ing twenty-nine being intersynodical or local insti- 
tutions. The institutional work of the United Lu- 
theran Church embraces ten orphanages, ten old 
people’s homes, two orphans’ and old people’s 
homes, three institutions for defectives, six hospices, 
thirteen miscellaneous institutions, two hospitals, 
three seamen’s and immigrants’ missions, twelve 
Inner Mission societies and three Deaconess’ homes. 
All but three of these are supported by synodical 
and local benevolences. The other three have 
hitherto received some support from the United 
Lutheran Church owing to conditions which made 
this seem necessary for a time. 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 135 
Board of Ministerial Relief 


The work of the Board of Ministerial Relief, 
while less familiar than the work of some of the 
other boards, is of major importance in the Church. 
It is distinctly the laymen’s responsibility and for 
that reason ten of the fifteen members of the board 
are laymen, and to a layman belongs the honor of 
extending its activities. It began as a relief agency. 
It has become a board of pensions as well as relief. 
This advance was made possible by the generosity 
of one layman, whose gift of over $32,000 covered 
the deficit of the first year of the operation of the 
pension system. 


Pensions In The Church. The idea of clerical 
pensions is not new in the Church. All the great 
Protestant denominations have been working on 
these lines for years, and there are in the various 
endowment funds for this purpose in the United 
States and Canada almost $70,000,000, while almost 
$7,000,000 are being paid out annually. In addition, 
$65,000,000 more are being asked for the same pur- 
pose. The United Lutheran Church has about 
$160,000 endowment, over half of which is available 
only for relief. It is distributing about $150,000 
annually in pensions and relief. We need an en- 
dowment of $3,000,000, for which a campaign has 
been authorized in 1927-1928, culminating at the 
tenth anniversary of the United Lutheran Church. 

Our Pension System. The pension system of the 
United Lutheran Church was put into operation on 
January 1, 1920. Since that time the board has 
been paying $300 a year to every minister who has 
reached the age of 65, has served at least 20 years 


136 OUR CHURCH 


in the synods now merged in the United Lutheran 
Church and who is no longer in active service. 
Widows of ministers in connection with the United 
Lutheran Church at the time of their death are 
given $200 a year as long as they remain widows, 
with an annual allowance of $50 for each child under 
sixteen. Ministers who leave the ministry before 
the age of 65 to enter a gainful secular occupation, 
and widows of retired ministers married less than 
five years before their husband’s retirement, are 
not eligible to a pension. All pensions are paid in 
monthly installments. The pension is given as a 
recognition of service and no questions are asked 
with reference to need or resources; that is, they 
are on the.same basis as army or navy or commer- 
cial pensions, and can be accepted as a right to any 
one who has served. When the endowment makes 
it possible the expectation is that the pension will 
be on the basis of a certain amount for each year 
of service rendered, the widow to receive two-thirds 
of what her husband’s service would entitle him to, 
with the present pensions as the minimum. 

Need of a Pension. On the basis of the figures 
of 1916 a survey of ministers’ salaries in the United 
States showed that over 50 per cent. received $1,000 ~ 
or less, and that less than 1 in 100 had a total gross — 
income of $3,000, including salary, income from pos- — 
sessions of husband and wife and earnings of minor — 
children. Though salaries now are better, they — 
have not increased in proportion to the cost of liv- | 
ing, and with salary ceasing there are few who can | 
retire without dependence on some one. The Church — 
owes it to its veterans to make provision for them. — 

Relief. In becoming a board of pensions the 





HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 137 


board has not ceased to be a board of relief. Muinis- 
ters becoming either physically or mentally in- 
capacitated from earning a livelihood, if in need, 
are given the same amount as the pension during 
the time of their disability, with the regular allow- 
ance for children under sixteen. 

In addition, the board supplements the pensions 
of those who are in need by four grants during the 
year, ranging from $50 to $12.50, according to the 
need in each case. Funds for this purpose are 
solicited at Christmas time and throughout the year, 
as only special gifts are available for this purpose. 
In eases of special need, which commend themselves 
to two-thirds of the executive committee, aid is given 
to those still in active service; for instance, during 
the prolonged sickness of a wife. In 1923, over 
$12,000 were distributed in these ways, all of which 
was contributed for the special purpose. This is 
one of the important functions of the board. Almost 
150 persons were aided in this way. 

Finances. There are now on the pension roll 172 
retired ministers, 17 disabled ministers, 388 widows 
and 100 children, involving an annual expenditure 
of over $139,000. In 1922-1923, over $136,000 were 
paid out in pensions, and the receipts from the ap- 
portionment were only $124,000. Part of this was 
made up by special gifts and from endowment in- 
come, but in the three years in which the pension 
has been in operation a debt of over $20,000 has 
accumulated, on which interest is being paid. This 
- debt will continue to increase until a far larger per- 
centage of the apportionment is paid or the pro- 
posed endowment is raised, unless the friends of 
the board make extra contributions to meet the 


138 OUR CHURCH 


need. To this end gifts to the amount of $50,000 
are being sought. Gifts to the board have more 
than doubled in the past year and everywhere in- 
terest in its work appears to be growing. The over- 
head expenses as reported at Buffalo were a trifle 
over 4 per cent. 

The Appeal of the Work. The work of the Board 
of Ministerial Relief presents its appeal on the basis 
of the divine obligation to make provision for the 
ministry and justice for the veteran in a form which 
the necessity calls for. A pension is a business 
proposition from the standpoint of the welfare of 
the Church and its advancement; it is the payment 
of a personal debt for services rendered. ‘The prac- 
tical business side of the work makes its special 
appeal to the men. The fact that more than two- 
thirds of those on the roll are women and children 
makes its special appeal to the women of the Church 
and the Women’s Missionary Society has pledged 
$10,000 to the work for the present biennium. To 
the young people the work and plans of the board 
come as a message of hope for those who are look- 
ing forward to giving their lives to the Master’s 
service, either in the ministry or as ministers’ wives. 


Board of Deaconess Work 


The present number of Protestant deaconesses is 
estimated at 30,000. The larger number of them 
are Lutherans. In the United States there are ten 
Lutheran motherhouses located at Philadelphia, — 
Milwaukee, Brooklyn, Omaha, Baltimore, Minne- | 
apolis, St. Paul, Chicago; Brush, Colo., and Fort — 
Wayne, Ind., and having under their care 361 — 
sisters. 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 139 


Nature of the Calling. A deaconess sisterhood is 
not an ‘‘order,’’ bound by vows and claiming supe- 
rior holiness. It is a voluntary association of 
earnest women who, constrained by the love of 
Christ, devote their entire time and strength to 
loving ministry in His name. The sphere of activity 
of the deaconess is very wide. She may labor 
wherever a Christian woman’s sympathy and skill 
can help to care for the sick, comfort the sorrowing, 
instruct the young, strengthen the weak or reclaim 
the erring. In America, Lutheran sisters are en- 
gaged in twenty-five distinct lines of service and 
many other fields are open to them. 

Organization. Lutheran deaconess work always 
centers in an institution known as a motherhouse. 
This is the home of the sister during her training 
and as long as she remains in the calling. It fur- 
nishes for her food, garb, title, training, fields of 
labor, companionship, official character, protection 
and support. In foreign countries these institu- 
tions are supported by associations not under the 
control of the Church, but in close connection with 
it. In America they are nearly all under the super- 
vision of regularly organized synodical bodies. 


Philadelphia Motherhouse. The Mary J. Drexel 
Home and Motherhouse of Deaconesses was founded 
in 1885 by Mr. John D. Lankenau. It has 87 sisters. 
Of these, seven are engaged in a children’s hospital 
in the motherhouse, twenty-nine in the Lankenau 
hospital on the adjoining ground, twelve in teach- 
ing in the excellent graded school conducted by the 
institution, nine in charitable institutions, seven in 
parish work and twenty-three in various forms of 
service in the motherhouse. Instruction and prac- 


140 OUR CHURCH 


tice are given in Christian kindergarten work and 
there is a special two-year course for Christian 
workers other than deaconesses. 

Baltimore Motherhouse. This was established 
by the General Synod in 1895 and supported by that 
body until 1918, when it was transferred to the 
United Lutheran Church. It has sixty sisters, of 
whom thirty are engaged as parish deaconesses, 
two laboring in orphans’ homes, three in old peo- 
ple’s homes, one superintending a girls’ hospice, 
two serving in city inner mission work, two in pri- 
vate nursing, three in foreign fields, one in the 
Virgin Islands and sixteen completing their course 
of training or serving the various departments in 
the motherhouse. There is also a Christian kinder- 
garten and a one-year course for Christian workers. 
Fifteen of the 134 graduates of this course occupy 
important positions in our American churches and 
twelve are serving in the foreign mission fields of 
the United Lutheran Church. Many of the others 
are rendering efficient volunteer service in their 
home churches. A two-year course of this character 
is now also offered. 

Milwaukee Motherhouse. This institution is in- 
tersynodical in character, but has always been 
closely allied with synods now in the United Lu- 
theran Church. It supplies sisters for a number 
of benevolent institutions within that body. It has 
control of the large Milwaukee hospital and trains 
for Christian kindergarten and parish work. 


QUESTIONS 


1. Why does the United Lutheran Church do its work through 
boards and committees? 
2. Define the scope of foreign missions, 


HOW ITS WORK IS DONE 141 


3. To what non-Christian peoples do the foreign missionaries of 
the United Lutheran Church now preach the Gospel? 

4, How are missionary interest and activity cultivated at the 
home base? 


5. What is the function of Home Missions? Of Church Ex- 
tension ? 


6. Describe the administrative machinery of the Board of Home 
Missions, 

7. State some of the results of home mission work in the United 
Lutheran Church. 

8. Among what people and in what fields does the Northwestern 
Board do mission work ? 

9. Which are the three departments of mission work among 
immigrants? Say something about the work of each department. 

10. What fields have been assigned to the West Indies Board? 

11. Describe the way in which the Jewish missionaries of the 
United Lutheran Church have been secured. 

12. What is the aim of the Women’s Missionary Society? How 
does it reach this aim? 

13. What are the definite objectives of the Board of Education? 

14. Into what departments is the activity of this board divided? 
Describe the work of each department. 

15. For what purpose has the Parish and Church School Board 
been constituted? 

16. What Sunday school courses does this board provide? 

17. With what function is the Board of Publication charged? 

18. Name the church papers and some important books published 
by this board, 

19. What is the program of the Laymen’s Movement? 

20. What are the objects of the Luther League? Name its 
departments. 

21. What is the scope of Brotherhood activities? 

22. Mention the standing committees and define their functions. 

23. Define the Inner Mission, 

24, What indicates the scope of the Inner Mission work of the 
United Lutheran Church? 

25. What pensions does the Board of Ministerial Relief pay? 

26. How does this board function for relief? 

27. On what basis does this board make its appeal? 

28. What are the deaconess’ spheres of activity? 

29. Describe the work of the deaconess’ institutions of the United 
Lutheran Church, 

30. What official relation does the United Lutheran Church hold 
to the National Lutheran Council? 


CHAPTER VII 


Tur Sources oF Its EFriciency 


This chapter deals with synods and congrega- 
tions. They are the sources of the efficiency of the 
United Lutheran Chureh in America. When they 
function properly the Church as a whole is enabled 
to do the work God intended it should do. When 
they are indifferent and unfaithful the whole Church 
suffers. 


SyNoODS 


‘‘Synods are associations of congregations, unit- 
ing for the confession of their fellowship in the 
faith and co-operation in the various activities of 
the Church.’’ 

Historically the great Councils or Synods have 
been of the greatest value to the Church for the 
preservation of the true faith and the development 
of a pure and progressive Christianity. Those early 


great representative bodies laid solidly the founda- 


tions of our Evangelical faith in the creeds of the- 


Church, which ever since have served the Church 


in the detection of error and in guarding the purity 


f 
; 


of its doctrine. With the centralization of authority — 
in the pope and his curia the great representative - 


Councils ceased to be held except at great intervals 
of time. Then followed the darkest age of Christen-— 
dom. In Protestant countries, especially in. 
America, the need of regular and frequent gather- 


142 





THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 143 


ings representative of the whole Church in a given 
territory, or in the entire country, has been felt 
to be necessary. They are of greatest value in the 
preservation of a pure faith and the promotion of 
an active Church life. 

In our American Lutheran Church two types of 
General Synod exist. One is that of our own United 
Lutheran Church, with its co-ordinated plans of 
work and delegated authority. The other is that 
of the Synodical Conference, which aims at little 
more than an association for the discussion of 
doctrinal subjects. 

The United Lutheran Church in America is com- 
posed of thirty-five constituent synods. These con- 
stituent synods are associations of congregations 
uniting for the confession of their fellowship in the 
faith and co-operating with each other in promot- 
ing the work the whole Church desires to accom- 
plish. They exist in order that the plans of the 
United Lutheran Church may be more effectively 
carried out and that the congregations composing 
these smaller groups may be better developed in 
faith and life. 


PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATION 


1. A synod of the United Lutheran Church in 
America consists of ministers and congregations of 
believers in unity with the doctrinal basis of the 
Church as set forth in Article IT of the Constitution. 
See page 161. 

2. The grouping of congregations into synods 
has been more or less arbitrary on the part of con- 
eregations, guided sometimes by one idea, some- 
times by another. Gradually, however, the group- 


migra (i Bef OUR CHURCH 


ing is coming to be along territorial lines and ability 
to serve the whole Church in the best way. 

The Constitution of the United Lutheran Church 
provides, however, that no groupings shall be made 
or geographical boundaries altered without the 
permission of the general body. 

3. Two great principles underlie this whole mat- 
ter of organization. (1) All power in the Church 
belongs primarily and exclusively to our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ, the head of the Church. This 
power is not delegated to any man or body of men. 

(2) All just power exercised by the Church has 
been committed to her for the furtherance of the 
Gospel through the Word and sacraments, and is 
conditioned by this end and pertains to her as the 
servant of Jesus Christ. The Church, therefore, 
has no power to bind the conscience except as she 
teaches what her Lord teaches and faithfully com- 
mands what He has charged her to command. (Con- 
stitution, Article III, Sections 1 and 2.) | 


Oxssects, Duties anp Powers 


As set forth in the Model Constitution for Con- — 


stituent Synods, in harmony with Article VI of the 
Constitution of the United Lutheran Church, a 
synod is organized: 


ns 


a en 


(a) To preserve and extend the pure teachings of | 


the Gospel and the right administration of the — 
sacraments. (lph. 4:5,6. Augsburg Confes-— 


sion, Article VII.) 


(b) To conserve the unity of the true faith: to 
guard against any departure therefrom: and 
to strengthen the congregations in faith, in 





(c) 


(d) 


(e) 


(f) 


THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 145 


confession and in the promotion of the kingdom 
of God. 


To give outward expression to the spiritual 
unity of Evangelical Lutheran congregations, 
to cultivate co-operation among all Lutherans 
in the promotion of the general interests of 
the Church, and to develop and unfold the 
specific Lutheran principle and practice and 
make their strength effective. 


To awaken, co-ordinate and effectively direct 
and supervise the united energies of the con- 
gregations in such operations as the following: 


1. The training of ministers and teachers to be witnesses of 
the Word; and the upbuilding, maintenance and 
strengthening of institutions for the promotion of such 
training, 

2. The extension of the kingdom of God by the support 
of Home, Foreign and Inner Missions, under the ad- 
ministration and functions of the United Lutheran 
Church in America, 

3. The proper regulation of the human externals of wor- 
ship in the congregation and family, that the same, in 
character and administration, may be in keeping with 
the New Testament and the liberty of the Church, as 
well as the practice of the United Lutheran Church in 
America, unto the edification of the body of Christ. 

4. The creation and development of agencies to carry on 
all departments of work in co-operation with the boards, 
committees and agencies of the United Lutheran Church 
in America, 


To solicit and disburse funds and to devise 
ways and means necessary for the work defined 
in the synod’s constitution. 

To ordain men to the holy office of the Ministry 
of the Gospel: and to suspend and depose those 
who dishonor it by false teaching, by imsubor- 
dination or an unworthy or wicked life. 


146 OUR CHURCH 


(g) To maintain discipline unto the fostering of 
holiness and fidelity in the ministry and people. 

(h) To maintain a true connection and relation 
with the United Lutheran Church in America 
and all its interests and obligations. 


MEETINGS 


Regular meetings of constituent synods are held 
annually at such times as the synods select. 

As the synod consists of ministers and congrega- 
tions, the annual meeting or convention consists of 
ministers and lay representatives from the congre- 
gations. 

The constitutional requirement on this matter of 
representation provides that ‘‘It shall be the duty 
of the Church council or councils of every pastoral 
charge belonging to the synod to appoint annually 
from its communicant members in good standing a 
lay delegate, who shall represent the charge at all 
meetings of synod and submit a report to the parish. 
It may also appoint an alternate to take the place 
of the regular delegate in his absence.’’ 

The conventions of synod are not for the settle- 
ment of doctrines. This does not belong to the con- 


stituent synods, though the doctrines of the Church | 
may be and shall be discussed. The practical activi- | 


ties of the Church and the extension of the Kingdom 
are the matters particularly before the meetings of 
synod. Some of the duties and activities are those 
committed to the synods by the United Lutheran 
Church. Others are distinctly the synods’ own 
problems and duties. 

Some synods have a Ministerium, which consists 


of the ordained members of the synod. When it is — 





THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 147 


held its special duty is the passing upon and report- 
ing to the synod all applications for ordination or 
reception of ministers recommended by the Examin- 
ing Committee. It also tries all cases of heresy. 


Tue Basis ofr THE Synop’s Unity 


The unity of the synod is the unity of congrega- 
tions which agree to act together on the basis of a 
common faith. This agreement is entered into 
voluntarily, but once entered upon it is binding and 
cannot be treated lightly. The primary thing in this 
agreement is adherence to the faith as set forth in 
the doctrinal basis of The United Lutheran Church 
in America. The other factor in this unity is the 
principle that representation of congregations con- 
vened in synod are representatively the congrega- 
tions themselves. Thus, there is that unity which 
consists in the association of congregations of a 
common faith agreeing to act together in the work 
of the whole Church. 


A Synop’s Tworoutp Renation 


The synods of the United Lutheran Church stand 
in a twofold relation. (1) To the congregations 
composing them. (2) To the United Lutheran 
Church or, which is the same thing, to the other 
synods in the United Lutheran Church. 

To the Congregations. 'The synods owe their ex- 
istence and efficiency to the congregations. The 
congregations are the primary bodies through which 
the power committed to the Church is exercised. 
This is a fundamental principle in the policy of our 


Church. 


148 OUR CHURCH 


The Constitution of the United Lutheran Church 
reads on this point as follows: 

Congregations are the primary bodies through which power com- 
mitted by Christ to the Church is normally exercised, 

In addition to the pastors of Churches, who are ex-officio repre- 
sentatives of their congregations, the people have the right to choose 
representatives from their own number to act for them under such 
constitutional limitations as the congregations may approve. 

The representatives of congregations convened in synod and acting 
in accordance with their constitution are, for the ends defined in it, 
representatively the congregations themselves, and have the right 
to call and set apart ministers for the common work of all the 
congregations; whose representatives they thereby become, and as 
such also members of the synod. Article III, Sections 3-5. 


These paragraphs open up two very important 
matters. First, not only do they treat of the power 
of the congregation and its primary character, but 
they also emphasize the responsibility of the con- 
eregation for the acts of the synod and its obliga- 
tion to see to it that the decisions and plans of the 
synod are carried out. : 

It is not uncommon for congregations to feel that 
they must always consider their local interests first 
and that synod’s plans and decisions are something 
entirely apart from their own interests. Let it be 
remembered that when the representatives of the 
congregations in synodical conventions act it is the 
act of the congregations and the congregations are 
responsible for the carrying out of the plans and 
acts of the synod. 

The second matter is that of the synod’s author- 
ity. The United Lutheran Church in convention has 
recognized that the synods have authority in mat- 
ters relating to the congregations. Just as a repre- 
sentative government binds all the people through 
the acts of its representatives, so the synod, a rep- 


i i ae lS il 


THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 149 


resentative body, has authority to carry out its deci- 
sions. This principle is emphasized as follows in 
the Minutes of the Washington Convention. Page 
62, A, 1. 

Here the Church lays down, ‘‘as a principle that 
should be observed by all boards, committees and 
societies whose organization and work are general 
in scope, its recognition of the constituent synods, 
with their elected officials as the pre-eminent author- 
ity in relation to congregations.’’ 

While this declaration deals with the additional 
question of the authority of synods in their own 
affairs as above that of any board or organization, 
it is also announcing the principle of synodical 
authority in matters relating to the congregations 
of the synods. This is emphasized in the Minutes 
of the same convention, page 87, A, as follows: 

‘‘Related to the congregations there exist the con- 
stituent synod, the general body with its boards and 
committees and the general organizations for men, 
women, young people. Of these three the synods, 
with their elected officials, constitute the pre-eminent 
authority in relation to the congregations. This is 
true because the synods are directly established by 
the congregations themselves. It is furthermore 
in harmony with Lutheran polity and the constitu- 
tion and by-laws of the United Lutheran Church. 
All relations to congregations coming from the two 
forms of organization mentioned above must come 
through the constituent synods and their official 
heads. 

‘‘Since they are directly established by the con- 
gregations the synods should recognize their full 
authority and exalt it. They are the guides and 


150 | OUR CHURCH 


protectors of the congregations. They should, 
through appointed committees, establish direct rela- 
tionship with the general boards and general or- 
ganizations, regulating thus also the relationship 
of both these to the congregations. The synods 
should regard themselves as the primary agency 
for promoting and securing the gifts of the congre- 
gations to the general benevolent causes of the 
Church.’’ 

The synods themselves in their constitutions have 
recognized the importance of exalting and rightly 
using their authority in matters relating to the con- 
eregations. They are the final authority in matters 
of discipline relating to congregations and rightly 
emphasize the importance of congregations recog- 
nizing this authority in all matters relating to the 
welfare and concerted service of the congregations. 
They give their presidents the oversight of the con- 
eregations and urge upon them the recognition in 
all matters of the authority of the synod. 

To the Umted Lutheran Church. Just as each 
synod has a relationship of authority and service 
to the congregation composing it, so each constituent 
synod has a distinct relationship to the general body 
of which it is a part and so to the other synods 
composing the general body. 

This relationship is twofold, it is a relationship 
of authority. As the congregations are required to 
recognize the authority of the synod, so a constitu- 
ent synod is required to recognize the authority of 
the United Lutheran Church. What the general 
body decides in accordance with its constitution is 
binding upon the synods. This is pre-eminently 
true in doctrine and it applies also to policies and 


THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 151 


benevolent service. It is also a relationship of 
service. There are certain great acts of service 
undertaken by the general body. If the synods’ 
relationship were only that of submissive obedience 
to authority it would lack life and action. But its 
relationship to the general body includes far more 
than a simple recognition of authority. It is one 
also of loving co-operation and service. This re- 
quires the constituent synods to consider carefully 
the plans and acts into which they enter and then 
whole-heartedly co-operate in them. This relation- 
ship is set forth in the constitution of the United 
Lutheran Church in these two paragraphs: 


Congregations representatively constituting the various synods 
may elect delegates through those synods to represent them in a 
general body, all decisions of which, when made in accordance with 
the constitution, bind, so far as the terms of mutual agreement 
make them binding, those congregations and synods which consent 
to be represented in the general body. 


In the formation and administration of a general body, the synods 
may know and deal with each other only as synods. In all such 
eases, the official record is to be accepted as evidence of the doc- 
trinal position of each synod and of the principles for which alone 
other synods are responsible by connection with it. Article ITI, 
Sections 6, 7. 


In the Model Constitution for Constituent Synods 
this matter of relationship to the United Lutheran 
Church is stressed. First, in its emphasis upon a 
synod’s doctrinal position being in exact conformity 
to that of The United Lutheran Church in America, 
and second, in the constitutional requirement that 
the synod be required to maintain a true connec- 
tion and relationship with The United Lutheran 
Church in America and all its interests and obli- 
gations. 


152 OUR CHURCH 


Tur CoNFERENCES 


Standing in close connection with the constituent 
synods, both in its relationship with the congrega- 
tions and the United Lutheran Church, are the con- 
ferences. Conferences are divisions into which 
synods group their members and congregations for 
purposes of local administration; they are commit- 


tees of the synodical organizations. Congregations - 


do not unite into conferences and conferences, in 
turn, into synods; but congregations unite into 
synods or are admitted into synods, and then are 
organized under the synodical constitution as con- 
ferences. The conferences are subdivisions of the 
synods, composed of ministers and congregations 
of the synod, located within a given territory, as 
from time to time determined by the synod. 


They are becoming more and more important in 
the carrying out of the plans of the synod, the 
smaller grouping making it possible to reach the 
congregations with the plans and desires of the 
synod in an effective way. Its organization gives 
to the synod, through the officials of conference, a 
multiplied working force, which is a great aid to 
the synod’s activities. 


The conference owes its existence to the synod 


and is subject to its authority. Only in a limited 
way does it have executive authority of its own, and 
that only in accordance with the will and plan of 
the synod of which it is a part. Its actions are at 
all times subject to review by the synod. The presi- 
dent of synod should have a voice and vote in all 


its meetings, and also the power to call special — 


meetings of the conference. It is also required to 


Lee ee ee ee ae 


THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 153 


make an annual report of its proceedings to the 
president of synod. 

While this relationship as to authority is very 
important and co-ordinates the work of the synod 
in a right way and is not to be ignored, yet the con- 
ference has its own important work and duties. 
It is the duty of each conference to care for the 
development of the church upon its territory; to 
assist in carrying out the resolutions of synod; to 
call attention to new fields of labor and to co-operate 
with the synodical mission board in the development 
of missions within its bounds. It should aid in sup- 
plying vacant congregations and be concerned with 
their care while vacant. It is the first court of ap- 
peal in all cases relating to discipline in the congre- 
gations and its decisions are final unless the appeal 
is carried to synod. 

In its convention it should give time to the dis- 
cussion of doctrinal, exegetical, pastoral and prac- 
tical subjects. This is a very important matter and 
should not be neglected. Synods as they are today, 
with their many duties and multiplied business de- 
tails, can find little time for discussion of doctrinal 
subjects. This should by all means be done in the 
conference, where executive and legislative matters 
. are not so pressing. As our Church grows and the 
synods increase in size the conferences grow in im- 
portance and usefulness. A great deal depends 
upon them for effective work in carrying out the 
plans of the Church. 


CoNGREGATIONS 


As has been said repeatedly in this article the 
congregations are the primary bodies through which 


154 OUR CHURCH 


power committed by Christ to the Church is nor- 
mally exercised. They are the primary unit in all 
actions of constituent synods and general bodies. 
If the congregations do not sense the importance 
of concerted action synods fail. If congregations 
do not carry out the great plans for benevolent 
action the service is not done. 


So after all, we must depend upon the congrega-— 


tions for the progress and service of our Church. 
Upon their fidelity to the interests of the whole 
Church the welfare of the Church depends. This 
is not simply a matter of sentiment, but of calm and 
real understanding of the relationship of obligation 
and duty of congregations to the synod which they 
have voluntarily formed. When a congregation has 
associated itself with other congregations of like 
faith to form a synod it is under obligation to God 
and the Church to recognize the authority of the 
synod and to carry out its plans and decisions. The 
failure of the Church to function as it ought in its 
benevolent operations is due to a lack of this com- 
prehension, both on the part of pastor and people. 
The constitutional requirements of the United Lu- 
theran Church dealing with the relationship of the 
congregations and the synod have been fully quoted 
in the foregoing pages. They are concise, clear and 
comprehensive. But unless our congregations 
realize them and determine faithfully to abide by 
them we will never be fully efficient. 

The primary responsibility for the entire work of 
the Church rests upon the congregations. If the 
congregation considers itself sufficient in itself and 
gives no co-operation in the great work of the 
Church the power committed to it by Christ is not 


THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 155 


exercised. And unquestionably the key man in the 
congregation is the pastor. 

Some things the Synod should mean to the Con- 
gregation and its Pastor. 1. It should mean or- 
ganized guidance and authority. This has been em- 
phasized above. As the Washington convention of 
the United Lutheran Church said, ‘‘Synods are the 
guides and protectors of the congregations.’’ This 
guidance and authority makes for safety, efficiency 
and service. 

2. It represents to a congregation with its pastor 
their immediate and systematic touch with the 
Church of which they are a part. The fellowship 
with men of like faith with common problems and 
responsibilities is not a light matter. Placed as 
most of our congregations and pastors are in the 
midst of activities of all kinds demanding co-opera- 
tion, associated in the work with men of differing 
conceptions of the Church and its work, it is a great 
help to be able to have the fellowship of the synod 
for mutual encouragement and understanding. We 
receive and we give in this fellowship. We should 
use this fellowship more and strengthen it. But this 
touch with the whole Church is more than a mere 
fellowship. It is a fellowship in the faith. The 
synod stands for a company of congregations and 
pastors of a common faith. It emphasizes our Lu- 
theran Church as a whole and the vital character 
of its doctrines. The faith of the Church needs to 
be emphasized not only for our own sake, but the 
world needs what the Lutheran Church has to give. 
The more we strengthen the congregation’s rela- 
tionship with the synod the better we maintain our- 
selves in the faith and the better able we are to 


156 OUR CHURCH 


demonstrate the purity and power of that faith in 
our respective communities. It would be well for 
all our congregations and pastors to promote this 
idea of the value of a congregation’s touch with the 
whole Church for the sake of its fellowship and 
faith. 


3. Itis the body to which the congregations have 
delegated authority to ordain ministers. The synod 
educates many young men, in whole or in part, 
examines and ordains them as ministers of the 
Gospel. It is from the synod that every minister 
has the authority, humanly speaking, for his minis- 
try. Ordination is performed by the synod alone 
through its chosen officers. We recognize no Apos- 
tolic Succession except as it is found in the whole 
Church. We have not bishops to hand down to us 
the right to the ministry. But the Church, through 
the synod, gives this authority with the laying on 
of the hands of the brethren. Authority to exercise 
the office of the ministry may also be taken away 
by the synod from men who prove unworthy. This 
ereat fact should mean a great deal to our churches 
and should foster respect and love on the part of 
our people and pastors. The life of the Church is — 
dependent upon keeping full the ranks of the minis- — 
try. A congregation calls a man to the ministry. 
The congregations functioning as a synod ordain 
him. 


4. The synod presents to a congregation an op- 
portunity for enlarged constructive action and 
service. It brings to every congregation the oppor- 
tunity and duty of giving service in a larger way 
than can be done by any individual congregation 





THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 157 


working alone. It would not minimize the work a 
single congregation can do by itself. Its possi- 
bilities are wonderful. We do not half do, nor do 
we do half of, what is about us to do. But there are 
some things we can do only when we do them to- 
gether. The world about us needs constructive 
work. The sin of the world needs the saving plan 
of the whole Church. Works of loving service can 
best be done when the Church acts as a whole. 

This opportunity and duty for service in a larger 
way requires increasing interest and co-operation 
on the part of the congregations. Our United Lu- 
theran Church in America has great plans for the 
extension of the Kingdom and the care of souls. 
The synods are the working forces through which 
the congregations can put these plans into action. 
Constituent synods have plans and work of their 
own. The need is for a greater realization of this 
opportunity for larger service on the part of the 
congregations and a finer type of co-operation than 
has ever been given before. Appeals from many 
sources come to our congregations voicing needs 
that exist in many parts of the world. Plans come 
from all sorts of organizations urging our congre- 
gations to co-operate to meet conditions in state or 
nation. Some of these are good, some are mislead- 
ing and disturbing. The great need of our Church 
is that congregations hear and support more whole- 
heartedly the plans and purposes of the United Lu- 
theran Church and the synods to which they belong. 
This is a congregation’s most definite opportunity 
for larger service. It must be met if our Lutheran 
Church is to make its best contribution to the work 
of the Kingdom. 


158 OUR CHURCH 


What should be a Congregation’s attitude toward 
its Synod? 1. It should recognize its authority. 
Synods with their elected representatives constitute 
the pre-eminent authority in relation to the congre- 
gations. This is required by good order and rests 
upon the principle that congregations convened in 
synod are representatively the congregations them- 
selves. Authority thus established is a real author- 
ity and not to be denied. 

2. It should be one of interest and concern for 
the great work the synod is trying to do. It is not 
sufficient that a congregation concern itself entirely 
with its own self and field. The great work of the 
whole Church should concern deeply the individual 
congregation and pastor. 

3. A constructive spirit with regard to it. 
Criticism is sometimes very valuable. It helps those 
in authority to do better the work committed to 
them. But it should be a constructive criticism, 
given in love for the Church and its work. Destruc- 
tive criticism tears down and never builds up; it 
hurts the cause. 

4. A fair spirit toward all of its activities. 
There are naturally some things and causes in which 
we are more interested than others. It is very easy 
to emphasize that one thing in our congregation to 
the hurt of others. A pick and choose policy in the 
work of the synod is not fair to the other great 
causes which need our support. Let us see all needs 
and deal with them fairly. 

5. One of loyalty and co-operation. Synods are 
composed of representatives who want to do the 
very best for the whole Church while preserving 
the interests of the individual congregations. They 


THE SOURCES OF ITS EFFICIENCY 159 


act conscientiously in all matters and are earnest 
in their endeavors to serve the Church. Little can 
be done, however, unless congregations and pastors 
are loyal to the program of service set up and give 
it their hearty co-operation. God has given our Lu- 
theran Church a wonderful opportunity in this day 
and age. If it is to be equal to its work and meet 
the challenge of its opportunity it must be aggres- 
sive and strong, not only in individual congrega- 
tions, but in its organized activities. This calls for 
loyalty and co-operation in spirit, in prayer and in 
action to the synod of which it is a part, and so to 
the great Church whose name we proudly bear. 


QUESTIONS 


1, What is a synod? 

2. What has been the place of the synod in the history of the 
Christian Church? 

3. What service was rendered by some of the great historical 
synods and councils? 

4, Why are synods, general and constituent, necessary for the 
life of the Church? 

5. How many constituent synods are there in The United Lu- 
theran Church in America? 

6. Name them. 

7. What is the doctrinal basis of The United Lutheran Church 
in America and therefore of the constituent synods? 

8. How are groupings of congregations into synods made? 

9. How should they be made? 

10. What two principles underlie the whole matter of organiza- 


11. What is the work of a synod? 

12. How does a synod function? 

13. Of what does a convention of synod consist? 

14, What is a ministerium? 

15. What elements enter into the basis of a synod’s unity? 

16. What is the twofold relation of a synod? 

17. What indicates the importance of the congregations? 

18. How is a synod formed and on what does it depend for its 
existence? 


160 OUR CHURCH 


19. Why are congregations responsible for the acts of the synods? 

20. How is the authority of the synods emphasized? 

21. In what relation does it stand to the boards of the Church? 

22. In what relation does a synod stand to the United Lutheran 
Church in America? 

23. How are delegates chosen to the convention of the U. L. C. A.? 

24, What is the relation of a congregation tc the synod? 

25. What is the result of a congregation’s failure to do the work 
according to the plans of synod? 

26. What should the synod mean to a congregation? 

27. What can a pastor do in promoting the work of synod in his 
congregation? 

28. On what basis does the authority of synod rest? 

29. What should be a congregation’s attitude toward its synod? 





CONSTITUTION 


PREAMBLE 


r In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 
men, 

Having been called by the Gospel and made partakers of the grace 
of God, and, by faith, members of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
and, through Him, of one another, 

We, members of Evangelical Lutheran congregations in America, 
associated in Evangelical Lutheran Synods, recognizing our duty as 
people of God to make the inner unity which we have with one 
another manifest in the common confession, defence and maintenance 
of our faith, and in united efforts for the extension of the Kingdom 
of God at home and abroad; realizing the vastness of the field that 
God has assigned us for our labors in this Western world, and the 
greatness of the resources within our beloved Church which are only 
feebly employed for this purpose; conscious of our need of mutual 
assistance and encouragement; and relying upon the promise of the 
divine Word that He who hath begun this work will perfect it until 
the day of Christ Jesus, 

Hereby unite, and now invite and until such end be attained con- 
tinue to invite all Evangelical Lutheran congregations and Synods in 
America, one with us in the faith, to unite with us, upon the terms 
of this Constitution, in one general organization, to be known as THE 
UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA, 


ARTICLE I 
NAME 


The name and title of the body organized under this Constitution 
shall be THE UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA. 


ARTICLE II 
DoctTRINAL BASIS 


Section 1. The United Lutheran Church in America receives and 
holds the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the 
inspired Word of God, and as the only infallible rule and standard 
of faith and practice, according to which all doctrines and teachers 
are to be judged. 

Section 2. The United Lutheran Church in America accepts the 
three ecumenical creeds: namely, the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the 
Athanasian, as important testimonies drawn from the Holy Scrip- 
tures, and rejects all errors which they condemn. 


161 


162 OUR CHURCH 


Section 3. The United Lutheran Church in America receives and 
holds the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a correct exhibition of 
the faith and doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, founded 
upon the Word of God; and acknowledges all churches that sincerely 
hold and faithfully confess the doctrines of the Unaltered Augsburg 
Confession to be entitled to the name of Evangelical Lutheran. 

Section 4. The United Lutheran Church in America recognizes 
the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalkald Articles, the 
Large and Small Catechisms of Luther, and the Formula of Concord, 
as in the harmony of one and the same pure Scriptural faith. 


ARTICLE ITI 


PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATION 


In accordance with the foregoing Doctrinal Basis, The United 
Lutheran Church in America sets forth and declares the following 
principles as fundamental to its organization: 

Section 1. All power in the Church belongs primarily and excelu- 
sively to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. 
This power is not delegated to any man or body of men. 

Section 2. All just power exercised by the Church has been com- 
mitted to her for the furtherance of the Gospel through the Word 
and sacraments, and is conditioned by this end and pertains to her 
as the servant of Jesus Christ. The Church, therefore, has no power 
to bind the conscience except as she teaches what her Lord teaches 
and faithfully commands what He has charged her to command, 

Section 3. Congregations are the primary bodies through which 
power committed by Christ to the Church is normally exercised. 

Section 4. In addition to the pastors of churches, who are e% 
officio representatives of their congregations the people have the 
right to choose representatives from their own number to act for 
them under such constitutional limitations as the congregations may 
approve. 

Section 5. The representatives of congregations convened in 
Synod and acting in accordance with their Constitution are, for the 
ends defined in it representatively the congregations themselves, and 
have the right to call and set apart ministers for the common work 
of all the congregations; whose representatives they thereby become, 
and as such also members of the Synod. 

Section 6. Congregations representatively constituting the various 
Synods may elect delegates through those Synods to represent them 
in a general body, all decisions of which, when made in accordance 
with the Constitution, bind so far as the terms of mutual agreement 
make them binding, those congregations and Synods which consent 
to be represented in the general body. 

Section 7. In the formation and administration of a general 
body, the Synods may know and deal with each other only as 
Synods. In all such cases, the official record is to be accepted as 
evidence of the doctrinal position of each Synod and of the principles 
Ane alone the other Synods are responsible by connection 
with it. 


le ee a ee ee 





CONSTITUTION 163 


ARTICLE IV 
MEMBERSHIP 


Section 1. The United Lutheran Church in America at its organi- 
zation shall consist of the congregations that compose the Evangelical 
Lutheran Synods which have been in connection with the General 
Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States of 
America, the General Council of the Lutheran Church in North 
America, or the United Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church 
in the South, and which accept this Constitution with its Doctrinal 
Basis as set forth in Article IT. 

Section 2. Any Evangelical Lutheran Synod applying for admis- 
sion which has accepted this Constitution with its Doctrinal Basis as 
set forth in Article II, and whose Constitution has been approved by 
the Executive Board, may be received into membership by a majority 
vote at any regular Convention. 


ARTICLE V 
DELEGATES 


Section 1, Each Synod connected with The United Lutheran 
Chureh in America shall be entitled to representation at its Conven- 
tions by one ordained minister and one layman for every ten pastoral 
charges, or major fraction thereof, on its roll; provided, however, 
that each Synod shall be entitled to at least one ministerial and one 
lay delegate; and provided further that the delegates elected by the 
Synods to the last conventions of the general bodies to which they 
respectively belong held prior to the first convention hereunder, shall 
be and they are in the adoption hereof chosen by their respective 
Synods as their duly elected delegates to said first convention here- 
under, irrespective of the basis of representation upon which they 
were chosen, The ratio of representation may be changed at any 
regular Convention of The United Lutheran Church in America by 
a two-thirds vote, provided that notice of the proposed change has 
been given at the preceding regular Convention. 

Section 2. Each Synod shall choose its delegates in such manner 
as it may deem proper. The delegates from each Synod shall elect 
one of their own number as chairman unless the Synod itself has 
designated the chairman, 


ARTICLE VI 
OBJECTS 


The objects of The United Lutheran Church in America are: 

Section 1. To preserve and extend the pure teaching of the Gospel 
and the right administration of the sacraments (Eph. 4:5,6; The 
Augsburg Confession, Article VII). 

Section 2. To conserve the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4: 3-16; 
1 Cor. 1: 10), to guard against any departure therefrom (Rom, 16: 
17), and to strengthen the Church in faith and confession, 


164 OUR CHURCH 


Section 3. To express outwardly the spiritual unity of Lutheran 
congregations and Synods, to cultivate co-operation among all Lu- 
therans in the promotion of the general interests of the Church, to 
seek the unification of all Lutherans in one orthodox faith, and thus 
to develop and unfold the specific Lutheran principle and practice 
and make their strength effective. 

Section 4. To awaken, co-ordinate and effectively direct the 
energies of the Church in such operations as the following: 

(a.) The training of ministers and teachers to be witnesses of 
the Word. 

(b.) The extension of the kingdom of God by Home, Foreign and 
Inner Missions. 

(c.) The proper regulation of the human externals of worship, 
that the same, in character and administration, may be in keeping 
with the New Testament and the liberty of the Church, and may 
edify the Body of Christ. . 

(d.) The appointment of editorial committees or editors of 
church papers and Sunday school literature. 

(e.) The preparation and publication of such literature as shall 
promote the dissemination of knowledge as to the doctrines, practice, 
progress and needs of the Lutheran Church. 

(f.) The creation, organization and development, through Boards 
and Committees, of agencies to carry on all departments of work. 

Section 5. To lay apportionments, and to solicit and disburse 
the funds necessary for these and other purposes defined in this 
Constitution. 

Section 6. To foster and develop the work of Synods, to exercise 
a general supervision of the Church, and on appeal of Synods to 
give counsel and to adjudicate questions of doctrine, worship and 
discipline. 

Section 7. To enter into relations with other bodies in the unity 
of the faith and to exchange official delegates with them. 


ARTICLE VII 


CONVENTIONS 


Section 1. A Convention of the duly elected delegates of The 
United Lutheran Church in America shall be held at least once in 
every two years, at such time and place as may be determined by 
the preceding Convention of the body, or by the Executive Board. 


Section 2. Special Conventions shall be called by the officers at 
the request of two-thirds of the members of the Executive Board, or 
at the request of the Presidents of a majority of the Synods. The 
delegates shall be those who represented the Synods at the previous 
regular Convention, provided they have not been disqualified by 
removal or by the election of new delegates. Vacancies in delegations 
shall be filled according to the rules of the respective Synods. 


Section 3. A majority of the delegates representing a majority 
of the Synods shall constitute a quorum, 


CONSTITUTION 165 


ARTICLE VIII 
POWERS 


Section 1. As to Ezternal Relations. The United Lutheran 
Church in America shall have power to form and dissolve relations 
with other general bodies, organizations and movements, To secure 
uniform and consistent practice no Synod, Conference or Board, or 
any official representative thereof, shall have power of independent 
affiliation with general organizations and movements. 

Section 2. As to Internal Relations. The United Lutheran 
Church in America shall have power to deal with internal matters 
that affect all its constituent Synods or the activities of The United 
Lutheran Church as a whole, except that when the operation of such 
power takes place within the domain of any of the Synods their 
consent and co-operation must first be secured. 

Section 3. As to Intersynodical Dealings. The United Lutheran 
Church in America shall have power to address and counsel its con- 
stituent Synods for the promotion of intersynodical harmony, Any 
question of interpretation of law, rights or principle, that comes 
within its jurisdiction, or any proper cases referred to it on appeal 
of a Synod, shall be determined by a Commission of Adjudication 
hereinafter provided for. 

Section 4. As to Individual Synods and Specific Cases. If 
Synods have had due and legal opportunity to be represented in the 
Conventions of The United Lutheran Church in America, they are 
bound by all resolutions that have been passed in accordance with 
this Constitution, But each Synod retains every power, right and 
jurisdiction in its own internal affairs not expressly delegated to The 
United Lutheran Church in America. 


Section 5. As to Doctrine and Conscience. All matters of 
doctrine and conscience shall be decided according to the Word of 
God alone. If, on grounds of doctrine or conscience, the question be 
raised as to the binding character of any action, the said question 
shall be referred to the Commission of Adjudication. Under no 
circumstances shall the right of a minority be disregarded or the 
right to record an individual protest on the ground of conscience be 
refused, 

Section 6. As to the Maintenance of Principle and Practice. The 
United Lutheran Church in America shall protect and enforce its 
Doctrinal Basis, secure pure preaching of the Word of God and the 
right administration of the sacraments in all its Synods and congre- 
gations. It shall also have the right, where it deems that loyalty to 
the Word of God requires it, to advise and admonish concerning 
association and affiliation with non-ecclesiastical and other organi- 
zations whose principles or practices appear to be consistent with 
full loyalty to the Christian Church, but the Synods alone shall have 
the power of discipline. 

Section 7. As to Books of Devotion and Instruction, ete. The 
United Lutheran Church in America shall provide books of devotion 
and instruction, such as Liturgies, Hymn Books and Catechisms, and 


166 OUR CHURCH 


no Synod without its sanction shall publish or recommend books of 
this kind other than those provided by the general body. 

Section 8. As to Work and Administration. The United Lu- 
theran Church in America shall have the power to engage in the 
work described under “Objects” (see Article VI), to create and 
regulate Boards and Committees, to determine budgets, and to lay 
apportionments, 

Section 9. The executive power of The United Lutheran Church 
in America shall be vested in the officers of the general body, in an 
Executive Board, and in various other Boards for special purposes, 
subject to this Constitution and the Conventions of the general body. 


ARTICLE IX 


» OFFICERS 


Section 1. The officers of The United Lutheran Church in America 
shall be a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer, who shall be 
elected by ballot at each regular Convention and shall serve until 
their successors are elected. The President, who shall be an ordained 
minister, and the Secretary shall be chosen from the delegates 
present, 

Section 2. The President shall preside at all sessions of the Con- 
vention, shall have the appointment of committees, unless The United 
Lutheran Church otherwise direct; shall see that the Constitution be 
observed and resolutions carried out; shall sign all official papers, 
and shall discharge such other duties as are delegated to him by the 
Convention, 

Section 3, The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings, 
attest all documents of the body, and publish the time and place of 
the next meeting at least two months in advance. In case of a special 
meeting he shall give a written notice thereof to the President of 
each of the Synods immediately upon the issue of the call, and shall 
publish the same at least thirty days in advance of the meeting, 

Section 4. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all moneys, 
and keep an account of all his transactions and submit a report of 
the same at each regular Convention, He shall make disbursements 
only upon the order of the President, attested by the Secretary. He 
shall be required to give corporate surety in such amount as shall be 
determined by the Executive Board. 

Section 5. In the event of the death, resignation or incapacity of 
any officer in the interim between Conventions, the Executive Board 
shall fill the vacancy. 


ARTICLE X 
INCORPORATION 


The United Lutheran Church in America shall be incorporated, 


CONSTITUTION 167 


ARTICLE XI 
THE EXECUTIVE BoarpD 


Section 1, The Executive Board of The United Lutheran Church 
in America, which shall also be its Board of Trustees, shall consist 
of the President, the Secretary and the Treasurer of the general 
body, who shall also be the officers of the Executive Board, together 
with six ministerial and six lay members, who shall be elected by 
the general body for a term of four years, 

Section 2, At the first election three ministerial and three lay 
members shall be elected to serve four years, and three ministerial 
and three lay members to serve two years. Thereafter three minis- 
terial and three lay members shall be elected at each regular Con- 
vention to serve four years. 

Section 3. The Executive Board shall meet at stated times, It 
shall be the duty of the Executive Board to represent The United 
Lutheran Church in America and to carry out its resolutions and 
attend to its business during the interim; it shall co-ordinate the 
work of the executive departments, receive reports as to the work 
and needs of the several Boards, present a budget to the Conventions 
with apportionments, fill vacancies not otherwise provided for, and 
perform such other work as may be delegated to it by the general 
body, to which it shall make full report of its acts, 


ARTICLE XII 


COMMISSION OF ADJUDICATION 


Section 1. A Commission of Adjudication shall be established to 
which shall be referred, for interpretation and decision, all disputed 
questions of doctrine and practice, and this Commission shall con- 
stitute a court for the decision of all questions of principle or action 
arising within The United Lutheran Church in America, and which 
have been properly referred to it by resolution or by appeal of any 
of the Synods. 

Section 2, This Commission of Adjudication shall consist of nine 
members, six ministers and three laymen, learned in the doctrine, the 
law and the practice of the Church. All of the members of this 
Commission shall be elected at the first Convention of The United 
Lutheran Church in America, two ministers and one layman for a 
period of six years, two ministers and one layman for a period of 
four years, and two ministers and one layman for a period of two 
years. As their terms expire their successors shall be elected at 
each Convention for a term of six years, 

Section 3. The Commission shall elect its own officers, and shall 
meet at least semi-annually for the transaction of business, When it 
holds meetings, or renders decisions, due notice of the time and 
place of meeting shall be given by its secretary to all persons inter- 
ested, and a standing notice of the time and place of its regular 
meetings shall be published in the church papers, 


168 OUR CHURCH 


Section 4. The consent of at least six members shall always be 
necessary for a decision, 

Section 5. The commission shall render a written report of all 
its actions and decisions to the next regular Convention, but the right 
of appeal from its decisions shall always be recognized. 


ARTICLE XIII 


BoaRpDs 


Section 1. The United Lutheran Church in America shall deter- 
mine the number of members in the several Boards which it shall 
create, and these Boards shall always be amenable to it. 

Section 2. All members of Boards shall be elected by The United 
Lutheran Church in America, Vacancies occurring in any Board ad 
interim shall be filled by the Executive Board of the Church on 
nomination of the Board in which the vacancy exists. No person 
shall be a member of more than two Boards at one and the same 
time. No member of any Board, including the Executive Board, 
shall be a member of the Commission of Adjudication; but the 
President of The United Lutheran Church shall at all times have a 
seat and a voice in all the Boards and in the Commission of Ad- 
judication. 

Section 3. These Boards, upon the determination of the general 
body, shall secure articles of incorporation which must be in harmony 
with the purposes of The United Lutheran Church in America; but 
no Board shall apply for incorporation until its proposed charter 
shall have received the approval of the General Body in Convention, 
or, in the interim, of the Executive Board. 

Section 4. The Boards, unless otherwise provided, shall have 
power to elect their own officers and employees, and to carry on their 
work in accordance with the design of their appointment. No member 
of a Board shall be a salaried employee thereof. 


Section 5. The Boards shall require corporate surety from their g 


respective treasurers. At each regular Convention of The United 
Lutheran Church in America, they shall render full and accurate 
reports of their work during the preceding biennium. 


Section 6. The Women’s Missionary Society, as auxiliary to — 


Boards of The United Lutheran Church in America, shall have the 
right to appoint two women as advisory members of each of the 


missionary and benevolent Boards to the support of whose work they 


regularly or officially contribute. 


ARTICLE XIV 
SYNODS 


Section 1. No Synod in connection with The United Lutheran 
Church in America shall alter its geographical boundaries without 
the permission of the general body. 

Section 2. Synods shall give advice to their ministers and congre- 
gations concerning doctrine, life and administration, and shall exer- 
cise such disciplinary measures as may be necessary. 


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CONSTITUTION 169 


Section 3. The Presidents of Synods shall exercise an oversight 
of the pastors and congregations composing their respective Synods, 
and shall be charged with the duty of carrying out the rules and 
regulations adopted by the Synods, When requested by the Executive 
Board they shall appear before it to represent their Synods. They 
may also make suggestions to the Executive Board, or seek its advice, 
with respect to the conditions and work in their Synods. 

Section 4. Should any Synod in connection with The United 
Lutheran Church in America desire to continue its established lines 
of work for reasons satisfactory to the general body, such privilege 
may be granted. 


ARTICLE XV 
COMMITTEES, By-LAWS AND AMENDMENTS 


Section 1. The United Lutheran Church in America may appoint 
special and standing committees. It may adopt By-Laws for the 
transaction of its business, provided that they do not conflict with 
this Constitution. These By-Laws may be suspended or amended at 
any Convention by a two-thirds vote. 

Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution must be presented in 
writing at a regular Convention of The United Lutheran Church in 
America, which shall decide by a two-thirds vote whether and in 
what form they shall be submitted to the Synods. An exact copy of 
proposed amendments shall be transmitted by the Secretary to the 
Presidents of the Synods for submission to their respective bodies. 
If at a subsequent Convention two-thirds of the Synods shall report 
their approval of the amendments proposed they shall be declared 
adopted. 


170 


SS OS en ea 


OUR CHURCH 
LIST OF BOARDS AND ELECTIVE COMMITTEES 


Executive Board. 

Commission of Adjudication, 

Board of Foreign Missions. 

Board of Home Missions and Church Extension, 
Board of Northwestern Missions. 

Immigrants Mission Board, 

West Indies Mission Board, 

Committee on Jewish Missions, 

Board of Edueation, 

Board of Inner Mission. 

Board of Publication. 

Board of Ministerial Relief. 

Parish and Church-School Board. 

Board of Deaconess Work. 

National Lutheran Home for the Aged. 
Committee on Church Papers. 

Executive Committee of the Laymen’s Movement, 


LIST OF COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, ETC. 


Statistical and Church Year Book Committee, 
Committee on Common Service Book. 
Committee on Church Music. 

Committee of Conference on Special Linguistic Interests, 
Committee on Lutheran Brotherhoods, 
Committee on Women’s Work. 

Committee on Associations of Young People. 
Committee on Work Among Boys. 

Committee on Army and Navy Work. 
Committee on Moral and Social Welfare. 
Committee on Evangelism. 

Committee on Church Architecture. 
Committee on Publicity. 

Committee on Necrology. 

Committee on Transportation. 

Archivist. 


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